The Federal Council

The Responsibilities of the Federal Council

Jointly with the National Council, the Federal Council exercises the legislative power at federal level. It can raise objections to legislative decisions of the National Council. Such objections must be reasoned and mostly have only a suspensive effect.

The Federal Council cannot prevent legislation but only delay it. There are, however, some matters on which the Federal Council has an absolute veto, or in other words, a law cannot be passed without the consent of the Federal Council. It is also referred to as the Chamber of Provinces. Its members are delegated by the Provincial Diets of the nine Federal Provinces.

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Bundesratssaal - Blick auf das Präsidium

The Members of the Federal Council

The number of members of the Federal Council changes as population shifts occur in the federal provinces. Currently there are 60 members, who are delegated by their respective Provincial Diets and represent the interests of their provinces in the federal legislative process. Following Provincial Diet elections, seats in the Federal Council are reallocated in accordance with election returns. Seating arrangements in the Federal Council meeting hall are made on the basis of parliamentary groups irrespective of the province a member may represent.

The Presidents and the Presidents Conference

The Federal Provinces take turns in the chair of the Federal Council every six months. The office of chairperson goes to the Federal Council member holding rank one in the list established by their Federal Province.

The President of the Federal Council is assisted by two Vice-Presidents. Jointly with the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups, they form the President’s Conference, which coordinates deliberations in the Federal Council and takes care of many other matters.

Chairperson's microfone and bell

Items of Business

The Rules of Procedure of the Federal Council enumerate the various kinds of items of business transacted in the Federal Council.

Members of the Federal Council during a council sitting

Plenary Sittings

The plenaries of the Federal Council usually take place two weeks after a National Council plenary.

Empty Committee meeting room

Federal Council Committees

Committees of the Federal Council are entrusted with preliminary deliberations on items of business.