Cantonal parliament: role and composition

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    Cantonal parliament: role and composition

    Cantonal parliament: role and composition

    As at federal level, the cantons also maintain a separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary. The cantonal parliament is the cantonal legislature. 

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    Terminology: Like the cantonal governments, the cantonal parliaments have a variety of titles in Switzerland’s national languages, including Grand Conseil, Landrat, Kantonsrat, Grosser Rat or Gussegl grond. 

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    The number of members of parliament varies from canton to canton. It is usually proportional to the population of the canton. The parliament of Appenzell Innerrhoden currently has 50 members while the Zurich parliament has 180 members.

    Like the Federal Assembly, all cantonal parliaments are semi-professional parliaments, allowing members of parliament to hold down another job while fulfilling their parliamentary duties.

    The members of the parliament of your canton

    1. AG
    2. AI
    3. AR
    4. BE
    5. BL
    6. BS
    7. FR
    8. GE
    9. GL
    10. GR
    11. JU
    12. LU
    13. NE
    14. NW
    15. OW
    16. SG
    17. SH
    18. SO
    19. SZ
    20. TG
    21. TI
    22. UR
    23. VD
    24. VS
    25. ZG
    26. ZH

    The cantonal parliament’s main task is to adopt, reject or amend cantonal legislation, and to decide on initiatives and petitions submitted by citizens, communes or members of parliament.
    It also has the task of adopting the cantonal budget, which it is presented by the cantonal government, and authorising the levying of duties and taxes.

    Last but not least, the cantonal parliament supervises the activity of the cantonal government.

    • What is a law?

    • How do you make a law?

    Council members holds regular, scheduled meetings, usually once a month. These meetings and their minutes are generally public.

    In addition, the members of parliament set up ad hoc committees (transport committee, finance committee, etc.) to analyse issues and prepare items of business for plenary debate in parliament or for submission to the cantonal government.

    Parliament annually elects one of its members to be president. The president’s duties include chairing the meetings of parliament.

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    A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes
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