The Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation is the supreme law in Switzerland and establishes the basic principles of the Swiss state. It was first adopted in 1848 and revised several times, most recently in 1999. The Constitution contains provisions on the organization and tasks of the federal authorities, the fundamental rights of citizens, relations between the confederation and the cantons, as well as the principles of the rule of law. The Federal Constitution forms the basis for the entire Swiss legal system and serves as a guideline for legislation and case law in Switzerland. Among other things, it guarantees the separation of powers, freedom of opinion and religion, as well as the protection of human dignity.
The articles BV
| Art. 1 General ProvisionsArt. 1The Swiss Confederation |
| Art. 2 Aims |
| Art. 3 Cantons |
| Art. 4 National languages |
| Art. 5 Rule of law |
| Art. 5a Subsidiarity |
| Art. 6 Individual and collective responsibility |
| Art. 7 Fundamental Rights, Citizenship and Social GoalsChapter 1 Fundamental RightsArt. 7Human dignity |
| Art. 8 Equality before the law |
| Art. 9 Protection against arbitrary conduct and principle of good faith |
| Art. 10 Right to life and to personal freedom |
| Art. 10a Ban on covering the face * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 11 Protection of children and young people |
| Art. 12 Right to assistance when in need |
| Art. 13 Right to privacy |
| Art. 14 Right to marry and to have a family |
| Art. 15 Freedom of religion and conscience |
| Art. 16 Freedom of expression and of information |
| Art. 17 Freedom of the media |
| Art. 18 Freedom to use any language |
| Art. 19 Right to basic education |
| Art. 20 Academic freedom |
| Art. 21 Freedom of artistic expression |
| Art. 22 Freedom of assembly |
| Art. 23 Freedom of association |
| Art. 24 Freedom of domicile |
| Art. 25 Protection against expulsion, extradition and deportation |
| Art. 26 Guarantee of ownership |
| Art. 27 Economic freedom |
| Art. 28 Right to form professional associations |
| Art. 29 General procedural guarantees |
| Art. 29a Guarantee of access to the courts |
| Art. 30 Judicial proceedings |
| Art. 31 Deprivation of liberty |
| Art. 32 Criminal proceedings |
| Art. 33 Right of petition |
| Art. 34 Political rights |
| Art. 35 Upholding of fundamental rights |
| Art. 36 Restrictions on fundamental rights |
| Art. 37 Citizenship and Political RightsArt. 37Citizenship |
| Art. 38 Acquisition and deprivation of citizenship |
| Art. 39 Exercise of political rights |
| Art. 40 The Swiss abroad |
| Art. 41 Social Objectives |
| Art. 42 Confederation, Cantons and CommunesChapter 1 Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons |
| Art. 43 Duties of the Cantons |
| Art. 43a Principles for the allocation and fulfilment of state tasks |
| Art. 44 Cooperation between the Confederation and the CantonsArt. 44Principles |
| Art. 45 Participation in federal decision-making |
| Art. 46 Implementation of federal law |
| Art. 47 Autonomy of the Cantons |
| Art. 48 Intercantonal agreements |
| Art. 48a Declaration of general application and requirement of participation |
| Art. 49 Precedence of and compliance with federal law |
| Art. 50 Communes |
| Art. 51 Federal GuaranteesArt. 51Cantonal constitutions |
| Art. 52 Constitutional order |
| Art. 53 Number and territory of the Cantons |
| Art. 54 PowersSection 1 Relations with Foreign StatesArt. 54Foreign relations |
| Art. 55 Participation of the Cantons in foreign policy decisions |
| Art. 56 Relations between the Cantons and foreign states |
| Art. 57 Security, National Defence, Civil DefenceArt. 57Security |
| Art. 58 Armed forces |
| Art. 59 Military service and alternative service |
| Art. 60 Armed forces organisation, training and equipment |
| Art. 61 Civil defence |
| Art. 61a Education, Research and Culture |
| Art. 62 School education * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 63 Vocational and professional education and training |
| Art. 63a Higher education institutions |
| Art. 64 Research |
| Art. 64a Continuing education and training |
| Art. 65 Statistics |
| Art. 66 |
| Art. 67 |
| Art. 67a Musical education |
| Art. 68 Sport |
| Art. 69 Culture |
| Art. 70 Languages |
| Art. 71 Cinema |
| Art. 72 Church and state |
| Art. 73 Environment and Spatial PlanningArt. 73Sustainable development |
| Art. 74 Protection of the environment |
| Art. 75 Spatial planning |
| Art. 75a National Land Survey |
| Art. 75b Second homes * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 76 Water |
| Art. 77 Forests |
| Art. 78 Protection of natural and cultural heritage |
| Art. 79 Fishing and hunting |
| Art. 80 Protection of animals |
| Art. 81 Public Construction Works and TransportArt. 81Public Construction Works |
| Art. 81a Public transport |
| Art. 82 Road transport |
| Art. 83 Road infrastructure |
| Art. 84 Alpine transit traffic * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 85 Heavy vehicle charge * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 85a Charge for using the national highways |
| Art. 86 Use of charges for tasks and costs in connection with road transport * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 87 Railways and other modes of transport * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 87a Railway infrastructure * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 87b Use of charges for tasks and costs in connection with air traffic |
| Art. 88 Footpaths, hiking trails and cycle paths |
| Art. 89 Energy and CommunicationsArt. 89Energy policy |
| Art. 90 Nuclear energy * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 91 Transport of energy |
| Art. 92 Postal and telecommunications services |
| Art. 93 Radio and television |
| Art. 94 The EconomyArt. 94Principles of the economic system |
| Art. 95 Professional activities in the private sector * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 96 Competition policy |
| Art. 97 Consumer protection |
| Art. 98 Banks and insurance companies |
| Art. 99 Monetary policy |
| Art. 100 Economic policy |
| Art. 101 Foreign economic policy |
| Art. 102 National economic supply * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 103 Structural policy * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 104 Agriculture |
| Art. 104a Food security |
| Art. 105 Alcohol |
| Art. 106 Gambling |
| Art. 107 Weapons and war material |
| Art. 108 Housing, Employment, Social Security and HealthArt. 108Construction of housing and home ownership |
| Art. 109 Landlord and tenant |
| Art. 110 Employment * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 111 Old-age, survivors’ and invalidity pension provision |
| Art. 112 Old-Age, Survivors’ and Invalidity Insurance * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 112a Supplementary benefits |
| Art. 112b Promoting the rehabilitation of people eligible for invalidity benefits * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 112c Aid for elderly people and people with disabilities * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 113 Occupational pension scheme * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 114 Unemployment insurance |
| Art. 115 Support for persons in need |
| Art. 116 Child allowances and maternity insurance |
| Art. 117 Health and accident insurance |
| Art. 117a Primary medical care |
| Art. 117b Nursing care * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 118 Health protection |
| Art. 118a Complementary medicine |
| Art. 118b Research on human beings |
| Art. 119 Reproductive medicine and gene technology involving human beings |
| Art. 119a Transplant medicine |
| Art. 120 Non-human gene technology * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 121 Residence and Permanent Settlement of Foreign Nationals |
| Art. 121a Control of immigration * With transitional provision. * |
| Art. 122 Civil Law, Criminal Law, Weights and Measures |
| Art. 123 Criminal law |
| Art. 123a |
| Art. 123b No time limit for the right to prosecute or for penalties for sexual or pornography offences involving prepubescent children |
| Art. 123c Measure relating to sexual offences involving children or persons who are incapable of judgement or resistance |
| Art. 124 Victim support |
| Art. 125 Weights and measures |
| Art. 126 Financial System |
| Art. 127 Principles of taxation |
| Art. 128 Direct taxes * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 129 Tax harmonisation |
| Art. 129a Special taxation of large corporate groups |
| Art. 130 Value added tax* |
| Art. 131 Special consumption taxes * With transitional provision * |
| Art. 132 Stamp duty and withholding tax |
| Art. 133 Customs duties |
| Art. 134 Exclusion of cantonal and communal taxation |
| Art. 135 Equalisation of financial resources and burdens |
| Art. 136 The People and the CantonsChapter 1 General ProvisionsArt. 136Political rights |
| Art. 137 Political parties |
| Art. 138 Initiative and ReferendumArt. 138Popular initiative requesting the total revision of the Federal Constitution |
| Art. 139 Popular initiative requesting a partial revision of the Federal Constitution in specific terms |
| Art. 139a |
| Art. 139b Procedure applicable to an initiative and counter-proposal |
| Art. 140 Mandatory referendum |
| Art. 141 Optional referendum |
| Art. 141a Implementation of international treaties |
| Art. 142 Required majorities |
| Art. 143 Federal AuthoritiesChapter 1 General ProvisionsArt. 143Eligibility for election |
| Art. 144 Incompatibility |
| Art. 145 Term of office |
| Art. 146 State liability |
| Art. 147 Consultation procedure |
| Art. 148 Federal AssemblySection 1 OrganisationArt. 148Status |
| Art. 149 Composition and election of the National Council |
| Art. 150 Composition and election of the Council of States |
| Art. 151 Sessions |
| Art. 152 Presidency |
| Art. 153 Parliamentary committees |
| Art. 154 Parliamentary groups |
| Art. 155 Parliamentary Services |
| Art. 156 ProcedureArt. 156Separate proceedings |
| Art. 157 Joint proceedings |
| Art. 158 Public meetings |
| Art. 159 Quorum and required majority |
| Art. 160 Right to submit initiatives and motions |
| Art. 161 Prohibition of voting instructions |
| Art. 162 Immunity |
| Art. 163 PowersArt. 163Form of Federal Assembly enactments |
| Art. 164 Legislation |
| Art. 165 Emergency legislation |
| Art. 166 Foreign relations and international treaties |
| Art. 167 Finance |
| Art. 168 Appointments |
| Art. 169 Oversight |
| Art. 170 Evaluation of effectiveness |
| Art. 171 Tasks of the Federal Council |
| Art. 172 Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons |
| Art. 173 Further duties and powers |
| Art. 174 Federal Council and Federal AdministrationSection 1 Organisation and Procedure |
| Art. 175 Composition and election |
| Art. 176 Presidency |
| Art. 177 Principle of collegiality and allocation to departments |
| Art. 178 Federal Administration |
| Art. 179 Federal Chancellery |
| Art. 180 PowersArt. 180Government policy |
| Art. 181 Right to initiate legislation |
| Art. 182 Law-making and implementation of legislation |
| Art. 183 Finances |
| Art. 184 Foreign relations |
| Art. 185 External and internal security |
| Art. 186 Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons |
| Art. 187 Further duties and powers |
| Art. 188 Federal Supreme Court and other Judicial AuthoritiesArt. 188Status |
| Art. 189 Jurisdiction of the Federal Supreme Court |
| Art. 190 Applicable law |
| Art. 191 Access to the Federal Supreme Court |
| Art. 191a Other federal judicial authorities |
| Art. 191b Cantonal judicial authorities |
| Art. 191c Independence of the judiciary |
| Art. 192 Revision of the Federal Constitution and Transitional ProvisionsChapter 1 RevisionArt. 192Principle |
| Art. 193 Total revision |
| Art. 194 Partial revision |
| Art. 195 Commencement |
| Art. 196 Transitional Provisions |
| Art. 197 Transitional provisions following the adoption of the Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999Accession of Switzerland to the United Nations |
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