SwitzerlandDemokratie und Föderalismus 41 · Democracy and federalism
What is true about the right of foreign nationals to vote in Switzerland?
In the exam (German)
Was gilt für das Stimmrecht von Ausländerinnen und Ausländern in der Schweiz?
- aThey have none at the federal level, but in all cantons they may vote on cantonal matters after ten years.Auf Bundesebene haben sie keines; in allen Kantonen dürfen sie aber nach zehn Jahren kantonal abstimmen.
- bThey have it at the federal level with a C permit; cantons and municipalities may not grant it.Auf Bundesebene haben sie es mit Bewilligung C; Kantone und Gemeinden dürfen es nicht geben.
- cThey have none at the federal level; some cantons and municipalities grant it for their own level.Auf Bundesebene haben sie keines; einige Kantone und Gemeinden geben es ihnen für ihre Ebene.Correct answer
- dThey have it at the federal level after ten years; they have none in cantons and municipalities.Auf Bundesebene haben sie es nach zehn Jahren; in Kantonen und Gemeinden haben sie keines.
Why?
Foreign nationals cannot vote at the federal level. But some cantons, for example Neuchâtel (Neuenburg) and Jura, and some municipalities have a voting right for foreigners (Ausländerstimmrecht) on cantonal or municipal matters.
Translated with AI. In the exam the question is in German, as shown above.
Check yourself
Would you know these too?
The same number of questions and the same pass mark as the real test, marked at once. Your first mock is free and needs no account.
Take a free mock examDemokratie und Föderalismus 42
What is the difference between "electing" (wählen) and "voting" (abstimmen)?Correct answer:You elect people to an office; you vote on issues such as laws.
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen «wählen» und «abstimmen»? — Man wählt Personen in ein Amt; man stimmt über Sachfragen wie Gesetze ab.
Demokratie und Föderalismus 43
What is the "Parole" of a political party?Correct answer:Its recommendation on how to vote in a popular vote
Was ist die «Parole» einer politischen Partei? — Ihre Empfehlung, wie man bei einer Abstimmung stimmen soll
Demokratie und Föderalismus 44
What was called the "magic formula" (Zauberformel) from 1959 onwards?Correct answer:A fixed division of the seven Federal Council seats among the four largest parties
Was bezeichnete man ab 1959 als «Zauberformel»? — Eine feste Verteilung der sieben Bundesratssitze auf die vier grössten Parteien
Demokratie und Föderalismus 45
What does concordance (Konkordanz) mean in Swiss politics?Correct answer:The large parties govern together and look for compromises.
Was bedeutet Konkordanz in der Schweizer Politik? — Die grossen Parteien regieren gemeinsam und suchen Kompromisse.
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.
Official informationTry it under exam conditions.
The same number of questions and the same pass mark as the real test, marked at once. Your first mock is free and needs no account.
The pass CHF 14.90 · 180 days of access for one payment — it never renews