Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Jean-Pascal
DELAMURAZ (1996 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice
President Arnold KOLLER (term runs concurrently with that of
president); the president is appointed each year from the Federal
Council by the Federal Assembly
cabinet: Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil
Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale) was elected for a four-year
term by the Federal Assembly from among its own members
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (German -
Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea
Federale)
Council of States: (German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats,
Italian - Consiglio degli Stati); elections last held throughout
1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (46 total) PRD 17, PDC 17, UDC 4, PSS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1,
Ticino League 1
National Council: (German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National,
Italian - Consiglio Nazionale); elections last held 20 October 1995
(next to be held NA October 1999); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (200 total) PRD 45, PSS 54, PDC 34, UDC 30, GPS 8,
LPS 7, FPS 6, LdU 6, SD 3, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for
six-year terms by the Federal Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Radical Free Democratic Party
(PRD), Franz STEINEGGER, president; Social Democratic Party (PSS),
Peter BODENMANN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party
(PDC), Anton COTTIER, president; Swiss People's Party (UDC), Hans
UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Verena DIENER, president;
Freedom Party (FPS), Roland BORER; Liberal Party (LPS), Christoph
EYMANN, president; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Monica
WEBER, president; Ticino League, Giuliano BIGNASCA, president; and
other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (SD), Workers'
Party (PdA), and the Evangelical People's Party (EVP); note - see
elections
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA,
FAO, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44
consulate(s) general: Zurich
Flag: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
Economy ———-