Switzerland is not only one of the oldest democracies in the world, but also an enduring model of a peaceful multiethnic polity, characterized by a Constitution which is in constant flux. The new Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation took effect on 1 January 2000, and it is with the intention of staying abreast of the constitutional changes and of the case law of the Federal Court that the authors have prepared the current volume.

A general introduction of the constitutional history and the foundations of the Swiss political system is followed up by: Sources of Swiss Constitutional Law; Organizational Design of the Swiss Confederation; Federalism in General and the Position of the Cantons and the Municipalities in the Swiss Confederation; Citizenship, Fundamental Rights and Liberties and their Judicial Protection, Protection of Minorities, Judicial Control of Administrative Action; Treaty and Foreign Affairs Powers, Taxing and Spending Powers, the Relationship between the State and the Church.

Thomas Fleiner is Professor of constitutional and administrative law and Director of the Institute for Federalism at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland; Alexander Misic, lic.iur., LL.M.; Nicole Töpperwien, Dr. iur., LL.M.

Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this very useful analysis of constitutional law in Switzerland provides essential information on the country’s sources of constitutional law, its form of government, and its administrative structure. Lawyers who handle transnational matters will appreciate the clarifications of particular terminology and its application. Throughout the book, the treatment emphasizes the specific points at which constitutional law affects the interpretation of legal rules and procedure.

Thorough coverage by a local expert fully describes the political system, the historical background, the role of treaties, legislation, jurisprudence, and administrative regulations. The discussion of the form and structure of government outlines its legal status, the jurisdiction and workings of the central state organs, the subdivisions of the state, its decentralized authorities, and concepts of citizenship. Special issues include the legal position of aliens, foreign relations, taxing and spending powers, emergency laws, the power of the military, and the constitutional relationship between church and state. Details are presented in such a way that readers who are unfamiliar with specific terms and concepts in varying contexts will fully grasp their meaning and significance.

Its succinct yet scholarly nature, as well as the practical quality of the information it provides, make this book a valuable time-saving tool for both practising and academic jurists. Lawyers representing parties with interests in Switzerland will welcome this guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its value in the study of comparative constitutional law.

Switzerland is not only one of the oldest democracies in the world, but also an enduring model of a peaceful multiethnic polity, characterized by a Constitution which is in constant flux. The new Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation took effect on 1 January 2000, and it is with the intention of staying abreast of the constitutional changes and of the case law of the Federal Court that the authors have prepared the current volume.

A general introduction of the constitutional history and the foundations of the Swiss political system is followed up by: Sources of Swiss Constitutional Law; Organizational Design of the Swiss Confederation; Federalism in General and the Position of the Cantons and the Municipalities in the Swiss Confederation; Citizenship, Fundamental Rights and Liberties and their Judicial Protection, Protection of Minorities, Judicial Control of Administrative Action; Treaty and Foreign Affairs Powers, Taxing and Spending Powers, the Relationship between the State and the Church.

Thomas Fleiner is Professor of constitutional and administrative law and Director of the Institute for Federalism at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland; Alexander Misic, lic.iur., LL.M.; Nicole Töpperwien, Dr. iur., LL.M.

Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this very useful analysis of constitutional law in Switzerland provides essential information on the country’s sources of constitutional law, its form of government, and its administrative structure. Lawyers who handle transnational matters will appreciate the clarifications of particular terminology and its application. Throughout the book, the treatment emphasizes the specific points at which constitutional law affects the interpretation of legal rules and procedure.

Thorough coverage by a local expert fully describes the political system, the historical background, the role of treaties, legislation, jurisprudence, and administrative regulations. The discussion of the form and structure of government outlines its legal status, the jurisdiction and workings of the central state organs, the subdivisions of the state, its decentralized authorities, and concepts of citizenship. Special issues include the legal position of aliens, foreign relations, taxing and spending powers, emergency laws, the power of the military, and the constitutional relationship between church and state. Details are presented in such a way that readers who are unfamiliar with specific terms and concepts in varying contexts will fully grasp their meaning and significance.

Its succinct yet scholarly nature, as well as the practical quality of the information it provides, make this book a valuable time-saving tool for both practising and academic jurists. Lawyers representing parties with interests in Switzerland will welcome this guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its value in the study of comparative constitutional law.