The Chamber of the National Council

The fresco by Charles Giron represents primitive Switzerland: Lake Lucerne, the Rütli meadow and, in the background, the Mythen Mountains. There is also a naked female figure floating on the clouds, a golden olive branch in her hand, who symbolises peace.

William Tell

In the 14th century, Willian Tell is said to have successfully taken up the challenge given him by the Austrian bailiff Gessler, which was to hit an apple placed on his own son’s head with a bolt from a cross-bow. This legendary hero symbolises freedom and resistance to tyranny.

Gertrud Stauffacher

Legend has it that the oath was sworn on the Rütli meadow on the enlightened advice of Werner Stauffacher’s wife, who convinced her husband to form the first Swiss alliance.

The Chamber of the National Council

The National Council represents the people and has 200 members. Each canton forms a constituency and returns at least one member to the lower chamber, even if its population is below the national average of inhabitants per seat, which is at present 37,500 (Switzerland having a total population of around 7.5 million people). The 200 seats are divided among the cantons in proportion to their population (Zurich: 34 seats; Glarus: 1 seat). The National Councillors are elected by proportional representation (i.e. the seats are allotted according to the number of votes obtained by the parties).

The Speaker’s chair

The Speaker chairs the Council’s discussions, prepares the agendas for meetings, runs the Council Office and represents the Council for external business. The Speaker and his or her two deputies form the Presidential College.

Screen

In the National Council members vote electronically. The results can be seen on a screen: red = no, green = yes, yellow = abstention. This system provides totally transparency in the voting.

Sectors

The members of the federal assembly (parliament) sit with other members of their own party or of parties close to their own. A parliamentary group must comprise at least 5 people.

Council of States seats

The 46 seats at the back of the chamber are occupied by the members of the Council of States when the two chambers sit together as the federal assembly (parliament). The latter elects the members of the Federal Council, the Federal Chancellor, the federal court judges and, in the case of a war, a General.

The East Antechamber of the National Council The West Antechamber of the National Council The ”Salle des pas perdus” The ”Salle des pas perdus”