SwitzerlandDemokratie und Föderalismus 23 · Democracy and federalism

Which electoral system is used to elect the National Council (Nationalrat) in cantons with several seats?

In the exam (German)

Nach welchem Wahlsystem wird der Nationalrat in Kantonen mit mehreren Sitzen gewählt?

  1. aThe majority system (Majorz)Nach dem Mehrheitswahlrecht (Majorz)
  2. bProportional representation (Proporz)Nach dem Verhältniswahlrecht (Proporz)Correct answer
  3. cDrawing lots among all those entitled to voteDurch Los unter allen Stimmberechtigten
  4. dAppointment by the cantonal governmentDurch Ernennung durch die Kantonsregierung

Why?

The seats are shared out in proportion to the votes for the party lists, so smaller parties also win seats. Only in cantons with a single seat is the majority system used.

Translated with AI. In the exam the question is in German, as shown above.

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    Was bedeutet «panaschieren» bei den Nationalratswahlen? — Man schreibt Kandidierende von anderen Listen auf seinen Wahlzettel.

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    Correct answer:The National Council and the Council of States must approve the same text.

    Ein neues Bundesgesetz soll beschlossen werden. Was braucht es dafür im Parlament? — Nationalrat und Ständerat müssen dem gleichen Text zustimmen.

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  4. Demokratie und Föderalismus 27

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Source

Our own practice questions on the facts of the Federal Constitution and the official information of the Confederation and the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Bern. They are not the questions of the cantonal tests, and no wording from the cantonal question catalogues has been reused. Each question was written, answered blind and fact-checked in separate rounds. The English translation and the explanations are ours, made with AI; in the test the questions are in German. We are not affiliated with the Confederation, the cantons or the communes.

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