How many seats does each canton have in Parliament?

Search

Jump directly to content
Homepage Main navigation language selection language selection

Elections 2023

Federal elections of 22 October 2023

Elections 2023

en
Open language picker
Loading...
    Federal elections of 22 October 2023
    • All themes
    • Parliament
    • Number of seats in Parliament
    All themes
    Parliament
    Number of seats in Parliament

    Number of seats in Parliament

    The more populated a canton is, the more seats it is entitled to in the National Council. In the Council of States, on the other hand, each canton has one or two seats.

    All themes

    The Swiss Parliament has 200 seats in the National Council and 46 seats in the Council of States.

    National Council

    In the National Council, seats are allocated in proportion to the resident population of a canton. This means that the more populated a canton is, the more seats it has in the National Council. At the federal elections in 2023, seats per canton range from 36 seats to only 1 seat. Each canton always has at least one seat in the National Council.

    Council of States

    In the Council of States, 20 cantons are entitled to two seats. The former half-cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel Stadt and Basel Landschaft are only entitled to one. This difference is due to historical reasons (web page available in German, French and Italian).

    Grafik der Nationalratssitze

    Bild mit zwei Stühlen
    Two seats:
    Aargau, Bern, Freiburg, Geneva, Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Vaud, Valais, Zug, Zurich.
    Bild mit einem Stuhl
    One seat:
    Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden.

    • For more information on the distribution of seats in the 2023 federal elections, click here (web page available in German, French and Italian).

    • The Federal Statistical Office provides the key population figures for the various cantons.

    A service of the Federal Chancellery, the Parliamentary Services, the Federal Statistical Office and the cantons

    About ch.ch Contact Terms and conditions
    YouTube link Twitter link
    VoteInfo
    A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes
    All themes
    A service of the Federal Chancellery, the Parliamentary Services, the Federal Statistical Office and the cantons
    About ch.ch Contact Terms and conditions
    YouTube link Twitter link
    VoteInfo
    YouTube link Twitter link