Right of foreigners to vote in Switzerland

The right of foreigners to vote in Switzerland is an ongoing political issue in the country. Switzerland is a federal nation. As such, the cantons have extensive powers to enact their own legislation (similar to the arrangement in the states of the United States). For this reason, the rules regarding the rights of foreign residents to vote differ considerably throughout Switzerland.

At federal level, exercising one's political rights in the strictest sense (the right to stand for election and to vote in popular initiatives and referendums) is limited to Swiss citizens aged 18 or over, as prescribed by Articles 136, 143 and 150 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. A bill proposing granting foreign residents the right to vote in federal elections was submitted to the Federal Council on 4 October 2000 but was rejected on 4 October 2011.

Under Article 36(1) of the Federal Constitution, the cantons have the power to grant political rights in cantonal and municipal elections which go beyond the minimum federal threshold (such as lowering the voting age and extending the right to vote to foreign nationals). The cantons also have the option to delegate these powers to the communes. Therefore, in theory, foreigners can be elected to the Council of States, as Article 150(3) of the Constitution states: "The Cantons determine the rules for the election of their representatives to the Council of States."

Only the cantons of Jura and Neuchâtel grant foreigners the right to vote in cantonal elections, but neither allow foreigners to stand for election at cantonal level. At municipal level, 600 communes across six cantons (Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Fribourg, Graubünden, Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud) grant foreigners the right to stand for election.

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