Federal intervention in Switzerland
Federal intervention in the Swiss Confederation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Switzerland, a federal intervention is an action undertaken by the federal government either within a canton or against a canton (in the latter case, it is termed a federal execution).[1]
Legislation
Federal intervention is authorized under Article 52 of the Federal Constitution, which states:[2]
Art. 52 Constitutional order
1 The Confederation shall protect the constitutional order of the Cantons.
2 It shall intervene when public order in a Canton is disrupted or under threat and the Canton in question is not able to maintain it with its own forces or with the aid of other Cantons.
— Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation of 18 April 1999
This intervention is also detailed in Articles 173 paragraphs 1 to 3 (Further duties and powers), and 186 (Cooperation between the Confederation and the Cantons).[2]
An intervention may only be decided by the Federal Assembly. However, in urgent cases, the Federal Council may order one and seek subsequent approval. This provision has never been invoked. When deciding on an intervention, Parliament typically appoints one or more civil or military commissioners tasked with mediation and authorized to request military support if necessary.[1]
During an intervention, federalism principles are temporarily suspended, and public authority shifts from the canton to the Confederation.[1]
Interventions within cantons
Since the adoption of the Federal Constitution of 1848, ten interventions have been ordered within cantons, half of them in the Canton of Ticino:[3][1]
| Date | Event | Canton | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 | Pronunciamento | Ticino | Conflicts between radicals and conservatives[1] |
| 1856 | Neuchâtel Crisis | Neuchâtel | Royalist coup d'état[1] |
| 1864 | Riots following the non-election of James Fazy | Geneva | Fazy was one of the founders of the Radical Party[1] |
| 1870 | Conflict over the choice of the cantonal capital | Ticino | Dispute over the cantonal capital[1] |
| 1871 | Tonhalle riot | Zürich | Disturbances between interned members of the Armée de l'Est and Germans celebrating their victory, later joined by workers[4] |
| 1875 | Miners' strike at the Gotthard tunnel | Uri | Gotthard strike[1] |
| 1876 | Stabio struggles | Ticino | Conflicts between radicals and conservatives in Stabio[5][1] |
| 1889 | Struggles during elections to the Grand Council | Ticino | Party conflicts during Grand Council elections[1] |
| 1890 | September Revolution | Ticino | Overthrow of the conservative Respini government and death of State Councillor Luigi Rossi during an uprising on 11 September by liberal-radicals dissatisfied with the delay in examining a constitutional revision proposal[6][7][8][1] |
| 1932 | November 1932 Geneva shooting | Geneva | Riots between right- and left-wing extremists[1] |
Federal execution
A federal execution is an intervention by the Confederation against a canton that fails to fulfill its obligations. Preceded by a formal warning, it may involve substitution, suspension of subsidies, or—as a last resort—military intervention, which has never occurred.[9][1]
| Date | Description | Canton |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | Dispatch of federal commissioners to monitor political refugees[10] | Geneva |
| 1855 | Dispatch of federal commissioners to monitor political refugees[10] | Geneva |
| 1869 | Enforcement of an arbitral award[10] | Uri |
| 1884 | Adoption by Ticino of electoral provisions illegal under federal law[1] | Ticino |
