Switzerland, a Semi-Democratic State

Switzerland is a small mountainous country located in central Europe. This landlocked country is about the size of New Jersey and is between France and Italy. It is also bordered by Austria, Germany, and Liechtenstein. Switzerland is recognized as a nation of peace, security and progress. This is shocking because of its cultural and religious diversity, contributing to conflict and violence in other areas of the world. The borders of political cantons and circles (sub-cantons) also divide religious classes.

Switzerland is a semi-direct democratic federal republic. The federal legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Federal Assembly, the National Council and the Council of States. Per se, it’s not a professional political system; these individuals are less reliant on whether or not they are elected. A guild of professional politicians is not formed by the method. It ensures that you are still actively involved in real life and that you carry with you your background so that you continue to develop. The system is legal for Swiss citizens because they can pick the form of local government they want and choose what their taxes are spent on.

Swiss government manages their territories efficiently. After all, it pursues an active foreign policy and is also interested in worldwide peace-building processes. Switzerland has maintained a strict armed neutrality policy; since 1815 it has not fought a foreign war and until 2002 it did not join the United Nations. It is a country located at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe, officially the Swiss Confederation. It is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with the Bern-based federal authorities. Switzerland is a landlocked nation bordered to the south by Italy, to the west by France, to the north by Germany, and to the east by Austria and Liechtenstein. The Swiss Plateau, the Alps and the Jura are geographically separated, occupying a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq. mi) and a surface area of 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq. mi). Although much of the region is covered by the Alps, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated primarily on the plateau, where the largest cities and economic centers, including Zurich, Geneva and Basel, are situated. These cities are home to many offices of international organizations, such as the headquarters of FIFA, the second-largest office of the UN, and the main building of the Bank for International Settlements. These cities are also home to Switzerland’s main international airports.

Human rights are guaranteed comprehensively in Switzerland, one of the oldest democracies in Europe. In international civil liberties and human rights rankings, Switzerland is always at or near the top, along with other European nations. As expressed in the Federal Constitution and political model, Switzerland puts human rights at the heart of the value system of the country. Peace promotion, mutual respect, equality and non-discrimination are fundamental to the democratic election of the country.
All related international conventions on human rights are signed by Switzerland. It is also the depository state of the Geneva Conventions and the site of the establishment or headquarters of many human rights-related NGOs, including the Red Cross. The Human Rights Council of the United Nations, of which Switzerland is a member and which it was instrumental in establishing, has its seat in Geneva. One of Switzerland’s five official policy priorities is respect for human rights and the promotion of democracy.

In general, Switzerland is not considered to be a country that clashes with universal human rights norms. Basic rights such as freedom of expression and association and the right to access to information are usually guaranteed, according to UN (United Nations) reports and other specialized human rights sources. The rights of asylum seekers, refugees or religious minorities, such as Muslims living in the country, are problem areas, with clear deficits and demands for change. Also, Switzerland is still not at the forefront in the field of digital access rights compared to Nordic countries like Finland. And privacy questions have been raised, among other concerns, with respect to new surveillance rules that are part of national security and telecommunications laws. As in other nations, pervasive security issues are constantly challenging and weakening the values of access and accountability, as well as civil rights, often referring to terrorist attacks or child pornography.