SwitzerlandDemokratie und Föderalismus 32 · Democracy and federalism
How many valid signatures does a federal popular initiative (Volksinitiative) need, and within what period?
In the exam (German)
Wie viele gültige Unterschriften braucht eine eidgenössische Volksinitiative, und innert welcher Frist?
- a100,000 signatures within 100 days100 000 Unterschriften innert 100 Tagen
- b50,000 signatures within 100 days50 000 Unterschriften innert 100 Tagen
- c100,000 signatures within 18 months100 000 Unterschriften innert 18 MonatenCorrect answer
- d50,000 signatures within 18 months50 000 Unterschriften innert 18 Monaten
Why?
A popular initiative succeeds if 100,000 people entitled to vote sign it within 18 months (Art. 139 of the Federal Constitution). After that, the people and the cantons vote on it.
Translated with AI. In the exam the question is in German, as shown above.
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Take a free mock examDemokratie und Föderalismus 33
What can you demand with a federal popular initiative (Volksinitiative)?Correct answer:An amendment to the Federal Constitution
Was kann man mit einer eidgenössischen Volksinitiative verlangen? — Eine Änderung der Bundesverfassung
Demokratie und Föderalismus 34
The people can call a referendum (Referendum) against a new federal law. How many signatures are needed, and within what period?Correct answer:50,000 signatures within 100 days
Gegen ein neues Bundesgesetz kann das Volk das Referendum ergreifen. Wie viele Unterschriften braucht es, und innert welcher Frist? — 50 000 Unterschriften innert 100 Tagen
Demokratie und Föderalismus 35
On what must the people and the cantons always vote (mandatory referendum, obligatorisches Referendum)?Correct answer:On every amendment to the Federal Constitution
Worüber müssen Volk und Stände immer abstimmen (obligatorisches Referendum)? — Über jede Änderung der Bundesverfassung
Demokratie und Föderalismus 36
How can the cantons themselves demand a popular vote on a new federal law?Correct answer:If at least eight cantons call for a referendum
Wie können die Kantone selbst eine Volksabstimmung über ein neues Bundesgesetz verlangen? — Wenn mindestens acht Kantone das Referendum ergreifen
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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