A/HRC/45/15/Add.1 elects the Federal President from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term. The Federal Council is the supreme governing and executive authority of Switzerland. The Federal Chancellor heads the Federal Council’s general staff office, the Federal Chancellery. 8. Each member of the Federal Council heads one of the seven departments of the federal administration: the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Department of Home Affairs, the Federal Department of Justice and Police, the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, the Federal Department of Finance, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research and the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. 9. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Federal Assembly, comprising the Council of States, with 46 seats, and the National Council, with 200 seats. 10. Switzerland comprises 26 cantons, which vary widely by population and size. The cantonal governments – the cantonal executive branches – are elected by the people in the respective cantons. The cantonal government is elected for four years in most cantons, and for five years in four cantons (Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Vaud). Cantonal governments comprise five to seven members, depending on the canton. All cantonal administrations are active in the areas of construction and the environment, education, finance, justice, security, social affairs, health and economics. The cantonal governments are the governing and highest executive authorities in the cantons.2 11. The cantonal parliaments – the cantonal legislative branches – are elected by the people for four years. The number of members currently ranges from 50 members in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden to 180 members in the canton of Zurich. In most cantons members are elected by proportional representation. In addition to adopting laws and ordinances, the cantonal parliaments supervise the cantonal government and the administration and the management of the cantonal courts.3 12. The executives of municipalities (communes) are elected by the eligible voters in the municipality, and generally comprise three to nine members. The municipal council is generally led by a municipal president. Around one fifth of all municipalities have their own parliament. In the others, the eligible voters in the municipality are responsible for decisions on municipal affairs, which they vote on at a municipal assembly. 13. The complex government structure and the division of competencies result in particular challenges in implementing State obligations under international human rights instruments. The federal structure results also in different levels of government being responsible for different aspects of human rights implementation, on the one hand, and for development issues, on the other. Projects and regulations, and a variety of mechanisms for their implementation, exist at the federal, cantonal and municipal levels, with federal authorities not always coordinating approaches and outcomes. 14. Switzerland is distinct among modern democratic nations, in that it operates as a semi-direct democracy: that is, within a framework of direct democracy in parallel with representative democracy. Any citizen is allowed to challenge any law approved by the parliament or propose a modification to the federal Constitution. At the federal level, voting can be organized for: the election of the Federal Assembly; mandatory referendums (on amendments to the Constitution made by the Federal Assembly); optional referendums (on laws accepted by the Federal Assembly); and federal popular initiatives (on modifications of the Constitution proposed by citizens). Votes are held several times a year, including for initiatives and referendums, where voters vote directly on policies, and for elections of officials. Federal, cantonal and municipal issues are polled simultaneously, and a majority of votes are cast by mail. The Swiss governance system is also characterized by a high level of local autonomy, where many issues are within the competencies of the cantons. This governance system constitutes a remarkable practice from the point of view of the right to 2 3 See https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/main-executive-and-legislativebodies-115_en. Ibid. 3