Federal elections are scheduled to be held in Switzerland in 2019 to elect all members of both houses of the Federal Assembly.

Subsequently there will be the 2019 election of the Swiss Federal Council, the federal executive, by the United Federal Assembly.

The Federal Assembly is bicameral, being composed of the 200-seat National Council and the 46-seat Council of States. The houses have identical powers.

The Federal Assembly possesses the federal government’s legislative power, along with the separate constitutional right of citizen’s initiative. For a law to pass, it must be passed by both houses.

Date of elections

The elections for the National Council will be held nationally on 20 October 2019.

The cantons individually organise their elections for the Council of States, which all but one are to be held on 20 October 2019; the exception is the election in Appenzell Innerrhoden which will already take place in April. In some cantons, and depending on the result of the election on 20 October, a second round or runoff election may be required, typically during November 2019.

Sources and further reading:

Federal council elections mark historic day for women in Swiss politics

https://www.thelocal.ch/20181205/viola-amherd-elected-new-swiss-federal-councillor

Swiss federal council elections: a who’s who of the candidates

https://www.thelocal.ch/20181128/swiss-federal-elections-a-whos-who-of-the-candidates

Here’s what’s at stake in the Swiss Federal Council elections

https://www.thelocal.ch/20181204/heres-whats-at-sake-in-the-swiss-federal-council-elections