Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (FCSC) in english

Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation - 2022

Art. 1 - The Swiss Confederation
Art. 2 - Aims
Art. 3 - Cantons
Art. 4 - National languages
Art. 5 - Rule of law
Art. 5 - a1Subsidiarity
Art. 6 - Individual and collective responsibility
Art. 7 - Human dignity
Art. 8 - Equality before the law
Art. 9 - Protection against arbitrary conduct and principle of good faith
Art. 10 - Right to life and to personal freedom
Art. 11 - Protection of children and young people
Art. 12 - Right to assistance when in need
Art. 13 - Right to privacy
Art. 14 - Right to marry and to have a family
Art. 15 - Freedom of religion and conscience
Art. 16 - Freedom of expression and of information
Art. 17 - Freedom of the media
Art. 18 - Freedom to use any language
Art. 19 - Right to basic education
Art. 20 - Academic freedom
Art. 21 - Freedom of artistic expression
Art. 22 - Freedom of assembly
Art. 23 - Freedom of association
Art. 24 - Freedom of domicile
Art. 25 - Protection against expulsion, extradition and deportation
Art. 26 - Guarantee of ownership
Art. 27 - Economic freedom
Art. 28 - Right to form professional associations
Art. 29 - General procedural guarantees
Art. 29 - a1Guarantee of access to the courts
Art. 30 - Judicial proceedings
Art. 31 - Deprivation of liberty
Art. 32 - Criminal proceedings
Art. 33 - Right of petition
Art. 34 - Political rights
Art. 35 - Upholding of fundamental rights
Art. 36 - Restrictions on fundamental rights
Art. 37 - Citizenship
Art. 38 - Acquisition and deprivation of citizenship
Art. 39 - Exercise of political rights
Art. 40 - The Swiss abroad
Art. 41 - 1 The Confederation and the Cantons shall, as a complement to personal [...]
Art. 42 - Duties of the Confederation
Art. 43 - Duties of the Cantons
Art. 43 - a1Principles for the allocation and fulfilment of state tasks
Art. 44 - Principles
Art. 45 - Participation in federal decision-making
Art. 46 - Implementation of federal law
Art. 47 - Autonomy of the Cantons
Art. 48 - Intercantonal agreements
Art. 48 - a1Declaration of general application and requirement of participation
Art. 49 - Precedence of and compliance with federal law
Art. 50 - 1 The autonomy of the communes is guaranteed in accordance with cantonal [...]
Art. 51 - Cantonal constitutions
Art. 52 - Constitutional order
Art. 53 - Number and territory of the Cantons
Art. 54 - Foreign relations
Art. 55 - Participation of the Cantons in foreign policy decisions
Art. 56 - Relations between the Cantons and foreign states
Art. 57 - Security
Art. 58 - Armed forces
Art. 59 - Military service and alternative service
Art. 60 - Armed forces organisation, training and equipment
Art. 61 - Civil defence
Art. 61 - a1Swiss Education Area
Art. 62 - School education*1
Art. 63 - 1Vocational and professional education and training
Art. 63 - a1Higher education institutions
Art. 64 - Research
Art. 64 - a1Continuing education and training
Art. 65 - Statistics
Art. 66 - Education grants1
Art. 67 - Encouragement of children and young people1
Art. 67 - a1Musical education
Art. 68 - Sport
Art. 69 - Culture
Art. 70 - Languages
Art. 71 - Cinema
Art. 72 - Church and state
Art. 73 - Sustainable development
Art. 74 - Protection of the environment
Art. 75 - Spatial planning
Art. 75 - a1National Land Survey
Art. 75 - b1Second homes*2
Art. 76 - Water
Art. 77 - Forests
Art. 78 - Protection of natural and cultural heritage
Art. 79 - Fishing and hunting
Art. 80 - Protection of animals
Art. 81 - Public Construction Works
Art. 81 - a1Public transport
Art. 82 - Road transport
Art. 83 - 1Road infrastructure
Art. 84 - Alpine transit traffic*1
Art. 85 - Heavy vehicle charge*1
Art. 85 - a1Charge for using the national highways
Art. 86 - 1Use of charges for tasks and costs in connection with road transport*2
Art. 87 - Railways and other modes of transport*1
Art. 87 - a1Railway infrastructure*2
Art. 87 - b1Use of charges for tasks and costs in connection with air traffic
Art. 88 - 1Footpaths, hiking trails and cycle paths
Art. 89 - Energy policy
Art. 90 - Nuclear energy*1
Art. 91 - Transport of energy
Art. 92 - Postal and telecommunications services
Art. 93 - Radio and television
Art. 94 - Principles of the economic system
Art. 95 - Professional activities in the private sector*1
Art. 96 - Competition policy
Art. 97 - Consumer protection
Art. 98 - Banks and insurance companies
Art. 99 - Monetary policy
Art. 100 - Economic policy
Art. 101 - Foreign economic policy
Art. 102 - National economic supply*1
Art. 103 - Structural policy*1
Art. 104 - Agriculture
Art. 104 - a1Food security
Art. 105 - Alcohol
Art. 106 - 1Gambling
Art. 107 - Weapons and war material
Art. 108 - Construction of housing and home ownership
Art. 109 - Landlord and tenant
Art. 110 - Employment*1
Art. 111 - Old-age, survivors’ and invalidity pension provision
Art. 112 - Old-age, Survivors’ and Invalidity Insurance
Art. 112 - a1Supplementary benefits
Art. 112 - b1Promoting the rehabilitation of people eligible for invalidity benefits*2
Art. 112 - c1Aid for elderly people and people with disabilities*2
Art. 113 - Occupational pension scheme*1
Art. 114 - Unemployment insurance
Art. 115 - Support for persons in need
Art. 116 - Child allowances and maternity insurance
Art. 117 - Health and accident insurance
Art. 117 - a1Primary medical care
Art. 118 - Health protection
Art. 118 - a1Complementary medicine
Art. 118 - b1Research on human beings
Art. 119 - Reproductive medicine and gene technology involving human beings
Art. 119 - a1Transplant medicine
Art. 120 - Non-human gene technology*1
Art. 121 - Legislation on foreign nationals and asylum*12
Art. 121 - a1Control of immigration*2
Art. 122 - 1Civil law
Art. 123 - 1Criminal law
Art. 123 - -
Art. 123 - b1No time limit for the right to prosecute or for penalties for sexual or pornography offences [...]
Art. 123 - c1Measure relating to sexual offences involving children or persons who are incapable of judgement [...]
Art. 124 - Victim support
Art. 125 - Weights and measures
Art. 126 - 1Financial management
Art. 127 - Principles of taxation
Art. 128 - Direct taxes*1
Art. 129 - Tax harmonisation
Art. 130 - 1Value added tax*
Art. 131 - Special consumption taxes*1
Art. 132 - Stamp duty and withholding tax
Art. 133 - Customs duties
Art. 134 - Exclusion of cantonal and communal taxation
Art. 135 - 1Equalisation of financial resources and burdens
Art. 136 - Political rights
Art. 137 - Political parties
Art. 138 - Popular initiative requesting the total revision of the Federal Constitution
Art. 139 - 1Popular initiative requesting a partial revision of the Federal Constitution in specific [...]
Art. 139 - -
Art. 139 - b1Procedure applicable to an initiative and counter-proposal
Art. 140 - Mandatory referendum
Art. 141 - Optional referendum
Art. 141 - a1Implementation of international treaties
Art. 142 - Required majorities
Art. 143 - Eligibility for election
Art. 144 - Incompatibility
Art. 145 - Term of office
Art. 146 - State liability
Art. 147 - Consultation procedure
Art. 148 - Status
Art. 149 - Composition and election of the National Council
Art. 150 - Composition and election of the Council of States
Art. 151 - Sessions
Art. 152 - Presidency
Art. 153 - Parliamentary committees
Art. 154 - Parliamentary groups
Art. 155 - Parliamentary Services
Art. 156 - Separate proceedings
Art. 157 - Joint proceedings
Art. 158 - Public meetings
Art. 159 - Quorum and required majority
Art. 160 - Right to submit initiatives and motions
Art. 161 - Prohibition of voting instructions
Art. 162 - Immunity
Art. 163 - Form of Federal Assembly enactments
Art. 164 - Legislation
Art. 165 - Emergency legislation
Art. 166 - Foreign relations and international treaties
Art. 167 - Finance
Art. 168 - Appointments
Art. 169 - Oversight
Art. 170 - Evaluation of effectiveness
Art. 171 - Tasks of the Federal Council
Art. 172 - Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons
Art. 173 - Further duties and powers
Art. 174 - Federal Council
Art. 175 - Composition and election
Art. 176 - Presidency
Art. 177 - Principle of collegiality and allocation to departments
Art. 178 - Federal Administration
Art. 179 - Federal Chancellery
Art. 180 - Government policy
Art. 181 - Right to initiate legislation
Art. 182 - Law-making and implementation of legislation
Art. 183 - Finances
Art. 184 - Foreign relations
Art. 185 - External and internal security
Art. 186 - Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons
Art. 187 - Further duties and powers
Art. 188 - Status
Art. 189 - Jurisdiction of the Federal Supreme Court
Art. 190 - Applicable law
Art. 191 - Access to the Federal Supreme Court
Art. 191 - a1Other federal judicial authorities
Art. 191 - b Cantonal judicial authorities
Art. 191 - c Independence of the judiciary
Art. 192 - Principle
Art. 193 - Total revision
Art. 194 - Partial revision
Art. 195 - Commencement
Art. 196 - Transitional provisions in terms of the Federal Decree of 18 December 1998 on a new Federal [...]
Art. 197 - 1Transitional provisions following the adoption of the Federal Constitution of 18 April [...]