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 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. There, the electorate selects the representatives who make up the legislative body. The name of that body varies from one canton to another:
- town council: Canton of Jura
- conseil général: general council (Switzerland) [fr] (Valais, Fribourg)
- conseil communal [fr] (Vaud).
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:
- Neuchâtel (35 seats)
- Boudry (25)
- Val-de-Travers (8)
- Val-de-Ruz (10)
- Le Locle (10)
- La Chaux-de-Fonds (27).
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
| 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
|
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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | ||
| 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
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.
Notes
- The communes of Nidwald do not have parliaments, unless they adopt an organisation known as "extraordinary" (aussordentliche Organisation) after merging with a school district.
- Olten is the only commune in the canton of Soleure with a parliament.
- the authorities of the canton manage the commune of Bâle (§ 18 GG/BS); Bettingen does not have a parliament.
- Herisau is the only commune of canton of Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures with a parliament.
References
- 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.
- 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.
- Switzerland: Main executive and legislative bodies, Eurydice, 23 June 2022, European Union
- 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.
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See also
Bibliography
- 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..