Assemblée communale (assembly of the commune) or assemblée primaire (primary assembly) is the current name of the legislative power of certain communes of Switzerland. Every citizen is part of the assembly and may participate in it[1] simply by showing their bulletin d'électeur (ballot). The assembly is called Assemblée communale in the cantons of Bern and Fribourg, Assemblée primaire in the Valais and Conseil général [fr] in the canton of Vaud.

This structure is primarily seen in small communes, but can also be found in much larger communes in German-speaking areas of Switzerland.[2] There, the electorate selects the representatives who make up the legislative body. The name of that body varies from one canton to another: [3]

The Canton of Neuchâtel does not have communal assemblies. Its legislature, the Grand Council of Neuchâtel, has 115 seats distributed in proportion to the population of the six electoral constituencies:

The enabling legislation of the cantons does require communes to have a conseil général [fr] with legislative powers, of 15 to 41 members, based on the size of the commune.

Overview

edit
Elected legislatures of communes by canton
Canton Number of communes Name of elected legislature Number of members Term of the legislature Number of communes with an elected legislature Legal basis
CH-ZH 162 communes in the canton of Zürich according to the law of the commune
in practice
  • Gemeinderat
  • Grosser Gemeinderat
  • Gemeindeparlament
according to the law of the commune
in practice between 28 and 150 members
4 years  13 communes Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-BE 342 communes in the canton of Bern according to the law of the commune
in practice
*French: Conseil de ville, conseil général
*German: Stadtrat, Grosser Gemeinderat Gemeindeparlament
minimum 30 members
in practice between 31 and 80 members
maximum 6 years
in practice 4 years
 13 communes Loi sur les communes [fr]
CH-LU 82 communes in canton of Lucerne according to the law of the commune according to the law of the commune 4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-UR 20 communes in the canton of Uri the communes of Uri don't have parliaments Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-SZ 30 communes in the canton of Schwytz according to the law of the commune (no parliament as of October 2020) Gemeindeorganisationsgesetz [de]
CH-OW 7 communes in canton of Obwald the communes of Obwald do not have parliaments Constitution cantonale [fr]
CH-NW [N 1] 11 communes in the canton of Nidwald Einwohnerrat 20 to 50 members 4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
Behördengesetz [de]
CH-GL 3 communes in the canton of Glarus according to the law of the commune (no parliament as of October 2020) ' Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-ZG 11 communes in the canton of Zug Grosser Gemeinderat
only Zug has a parliament
according to the law of the canton
minimum 20 members
40 members (in practice)
according to the law of the commune
4 years (in practice)
Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-FR 133 communes in the canton of Fribourg Conseil général/Generalrat from 30 to 80 members 5 years Loi sur les communes
CH-SO [N 2] 109 communes in the canton of Soleure according to the law of the commune minimum 20 members according to the law of the commune Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-BS [N 3] 3 communes in the canton of Bâle-Ville according to the law of the canton and the commune
(Bâle: Grand Conseil; Riehen: Einwohnerrat)
according to the law of the canton and the commune
(Bâle: 100 members; Riehen: 40 members
according to the law of the canton and the commune
(Bâle and Riehen: 4 years)
Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-BL 86 communes in the canton of Bâle-Campagne Einwohnerrat according to the law of the commune 4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-SH 26 communes in the canton of Schaffhouse Einwohnerrat
except Schaffhouse: Grosser Stadtrat
minimum 12 members (according to the law of the canton)
between 13 and 36 members
(in practice)
4 years
(in practice)
Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-AI 6 districts in the canton of Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures
no communes
the districts of Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures do not have parliaments Constitution cantonale
CH-AR [N 4] 30 communes in the canton of Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures according to the law of the commune
(in practice Einwohnerrat)
according to the law of the commune
(in practice 31 members)
4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-SG 133 communes in the canton of Saint-Gall according to the law of the commune
(in practice Stadtparlament)
according to the law of the commune
(in practice between 30 and 61 members)
4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-GR communes according to the law of the commune according to the law of the commune
(in practice between 15 and 21 members)
4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-AG 210 communes in the canton of Argovie Einwohnerrat minimum 30 members
maximum 80 members
4 years Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-TG 80 communes in the canton of Thurgovie according to the law of the commune minimum 20 members according to the law of the commune Gemeindegesetz
(Municipal law)
CH-TI 112 communes in the canton of Tessin Consiglio comunale minimum 15 or 30 members
(depending on the population of the commune)
4 years Legge organica comunale [it]
CH-VD 309 communes in the canton of Vaud Conseil général or conseil communal minimum 25 members
maximum 100 members
5 years Loi sur les communes
CH-VS 126 communes in the canton of Valais Conseil général minimum 20 members
maximum 60 members
4 years Loi sur les communes
CH-NE 31 communes in the canton of Neuchâtel Conseil général according to the law of the commune 4 years Loi sur les communes
CH-GE 45 communes in the canton of Genève Conseil municipal depends on the population of the commune
(by decree of the Council of State of Geneva)
5 years

Loi sur l'administration des communes [fr]

CH-JU 53 communes in the canton of Jura Conseil général bgcolor="#edd9ff" minimum 21 members according to the law of the commune Loi sur les communes

Legend:

  according to the law of the commune
  mixture of cantonal and communal law (in general governed by the canton, implemented by the commune)
  by default, determined by the law of the canton droit cantonal, modifiable by the commune (implementing an exception)
  strictly determined by the law of the canton (No derogation by the law of the commune)

Archaic: France

edit

Immediately after the French Revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy and the Ancien Régime, the Legislative Assembly decreed on August 10, 1792, a convocation of electors to elect a national legislature. Another decree, on August 12, mandated assemblées primaires to select the electors, thereby in effect implementing universal male suffrage.[4]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ The communes of Nidwald do not have parliaments, unless they adopt an organisation known as "extraordinary" (aussordentliche Organisation) after merging with a school district.
  2. ^ Olten is the only commune in the canton of Soleure with a parliament.
  3. ^ the authorities of the canton manage the commune of Bâle (§ 18 GG/BS); Bettingen does not have a parliament.
  4. ^ Herisau is the only commune of canton of Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures with a parliament.

References

edit
  1. ^ Stadelmann-Steffen, Isabelle; Dermont, Clau (2016). "How Exclusive is Assembly Democracy? Citizens' Assembly and Ballot Participation Compared". Swiss Political Science Review. 22 (1) (published 20 November 2015): 95–122. doi:10.1111/spsr.12184.
  2. ^ Ladner, Andreas (2016). Gemeindeversammlung und Gemeindeparlament: Überlegungen und empirische Befunde zur Ausgestaltung der Legislativfunktion in den Schweizer Gemeinden [Municipal parliament: considerations and empirical findings on the design of the legislative function in the Swiss municipalities] (in German). Institut de hautes études en administration publique (IDHEAP). p. 115. ISBN 978-2-940390-79-3. OCLC 952069714.
  3. ^ Switzerland: Main executive and legislative bodies, Eurydice, 23 June 2022, European Union
  4. ^ Rothiot, Jean-Paul (2013). "Élire la Convention: les assemblées primaires de Lorraine 26 août 1792" [Electing the Convention: the primary assemblies of Lorraine 26 August 1792]. In Colin, Armand (ed.). Entrer en République (in French). p. 133. doi:10.3917/arco.biard.2013.01.0133. ISBN 9782200287719. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)

See also

edit

Bibliography

edit
  • Ladner, Andreas (2016). Gemeindeversammlung und Gemeindeparlament: Überlegungen und empirische Befunde zur Ausgestaltung der Legislativfunktion in den Schweizer Gemeinden [Municipal parliament: considerations and empirical findings on the design of the legislative function in the Swiss municipalities] (in German). Institut de hautes études en administration publique (IDHEAP). p. 115. ISBN 978-2-940390-79-3. OCLC 952069714..