Cantonal legislatures of Switzerland

{{No footnotes|date=November 2024}} {{Short description|Parliament of a canton in Switzerland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Image frame|content= {{Switzerland largest parties in cantonal parliaments labelled map|float=right}} |caption = Cantons shaded by the largest party in the cantonal parliament: {{legend|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}|The Centre (DM/LC)}} {{legend|#006400|Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC)}} {{legend|#007AD2|FDP.The Liberals (FDP/PLR)}} {{legend|#CC0000|Social Democratic Party (SP/PS)}}}} {{Politics of Switzerland}}

The '''cantonal legislatures of Switzerland''' are the elected legislative bodies of the 26 Swiss cantons. Each canton has its own legislature, which operates alongside a cantonal executive and functions independently from the federal Federal Assembly. Legislatures are generally elected for four-year terms, except in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Geneva, and Jura, where terms last five years.

The size and structure of cantonal legislatures vary. The largest is in the canton of Zürich with 180 members, while the smallest, in Appenzell Innerrhoden, has 49 members. Appenzell Innerrhoden is also the only canton with a formally non-partisan legislature; all others are organized along party political lines.

Party strength varies by canton. As of the most recent elections, the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) holds the largest number of seats in nine legislatures, followed by The Centre (DM/LC) in eight, FDP.The Liberals (FDP/PLR) in seven, and the Social Democratic Party (SP/PS) in one.

Two cantons, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus, use the traditional ''{{lang|de|Landsgemeinde}}'' system of direct democracy, where eligible citizens vote by open assembly once a year. Although these assemblies are formally the highest legislative authorities, both cantons also maintain permanent representative legislatures, which are listed in this article.

== Terminology == The legislatures of the cantons have various names in different cantons and in the four official languages of Switzerland:

* '''Grand Council''' (German: ''Grosser Rat'', French: ''Grand Conseil,'' Italian: ''Gran Consiglio,'' Romansh: ''Cussegl grond'' ) is the name in the cantons of Aargau, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Grisons, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Thurgau, Vaud and Valais. In German-speaking Switzerland, the members of the Grand Council are called Grand Councilor (''Grossrat'' (m) or ''Grossrätin'' (f)), except for Thurgau where they are called Cantonal Councilor (''Kantonsrat/rätin''). In French-speaking Switzerland, the title is ''Député'' (Member of Parliament). * '''Cantonal Council''' (German: ''Kantonsrat'') in the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Lucerne, Obwalden, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Zug and Zürich. The term arose in the 19th century; the older names were ''Grand Council'': renamed in Solothurn 1840, in Zurich 1869, in Zug 1873, in Appenzell Ausserrhoden 1876, in Schaffhausen 2002, in St. Gallen 2003, in Lucerne 2008) and ''District Administrator'' (renaming in Schwyz 1833, in Obwalden 1867 ). * '''State Council''' (German: ''Landrat'') in the cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Glarus, Nidwalden and Uri. * '''Parliament''' (French: ''Parlement'') in the canton of Jura (since the canton was founded).

== List == {| class="wikitable sortable" ! colspan="3" | Canton ! Legislature ''Official name(s)'' ! Members ! colspan="2" | Largest party ! Last election ! Next election |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Aargau | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | AG | style="border-left: none;" | Aargau | Grand Council {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | 140 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" width=5px| | SVP (48) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Appenzell Ausserrhoden | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | AR | style="border-left: none;" | Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 65 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (22) | 2023 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Appenzell Innerrhoden | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | AI | style="border-left: none;" | Appenzell Innerrhoden | Grand Council<ref name="Landsgemeinde" group="Note">The ultimate legislative body is the annual ''{{lang|de|Landsgemeinde}}''.</ref> {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 49 | | Non-partisan | 2023 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Basel-City | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | BS | style="border-left: none;" | Basel-Stadt | Grand Council {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | 100 | style="background-color: {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}"| | SP (31) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Basel-Country | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | BL | style="border-left: none;" | Basel-Landschaft | {{native name|de|Landrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 90 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (21) | 2023 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Berne | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | BE | style="border-left: none;" | Bern | Grand Council {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} | 160 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (44) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Fribourg | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | FR | style="border-left: none;" | Fribourg | Grand Council {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | 110 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (26) | 2021 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Geneva | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | GE | style="border-left: none;" | Geneva | Grand Council {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} | 100 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (22) | 2023 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Glarus | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | GL | style="border-left: none;" | Glarus | {{native name|de|Landrat}}<ref name="Landsgemeinde" group="Note"/> | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 60 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (18) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Grisons | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | GR | style="border-left: none;" | Grisons | Grand Council {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} {{native name|rm|Cusegl grond}} {{native name|it|Gran Consiglio}} | 120 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (34) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Jura | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | JU | style="border-left: none;" | Jura | Parliament {{native name|fr|Parlement}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 60 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (15) | 2020 | 2025 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Lucerne | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | LU | style="border-left: none;" | Lucerne | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | 120 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (34) | 2023 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Neuchâtel | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | NE | style="border-left: none;" | Neuchâtel | Grand Council {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} | 115 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (32) | 2021 | 2025 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Nidwalden | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | NW | style="border-left: none;" | Nidwalden | {{native name|de|Landrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 60 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (16) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Obwalden | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | OW | style="border-left: none;" | Obwalden | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 55 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (19) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Schaffhausen | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | SH | style="border-left: none;" | Schaffhausen | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 60 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (21) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Schwyz | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | SZ | style="border-left: none;" | Schwyz | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | 100 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (38) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Solothurn | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | SO | style="border-left: none;" | Solothurn | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | 100 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (22) | 2021 | 2025 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|St. Gallen | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | SG | style="border-left: none;" | St. Gallen | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | 120 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (42) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Thurgau | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | TG | style="border-left: none;" | Thurgau | Grand Council {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | 130 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (42) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Ticino | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | TI | style="border-left: none;" | Ticino | Grand Council {{native name|it|Gran Consiglio}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 90 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (23) | 2023 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Uri | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | UR | style="border-left: none;" | Uri | {{native name|de|Landrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 64 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (22) | 2024 | 2028 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Valais | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | VS | style="border-left: none;" | Valais | Grand Council {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} {{native name|de|Grosser Rat}} | 130 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (48) | 2021 | 2025 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Vaud | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | VD | style="border-left: none;" | Vaud | Grand Council {{native name|fr|Grand Conseil}} | 150 | style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}"| | FDP (50) | 2022 | 2027 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Zug | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | ZG | style="border-left: none;" | Zug | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | 80 | style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}"| | DM (21) | 2022 | 2026 |- | style="border-right: none;" | 25px|Zurich | style="border-left: none; border-right: none;" | ZH | style="border-left: none;" | Zürich | Cantonal Council {{native name|de|Kantonsrat}} | 180 | style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}"| | SVP (45) | 2023 | 2027 |}

==Notes== <references group="Note"/>

==External links== *{{cite web | title=Kantonsparlamente | website=Federal Statistical Office | url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/politik/wahlen/kantonale-wahlen/kantonsparlamente.html | language=de | access-date=3 November 2024}}

Category:Cantonal legislatures of Switzerland *Legislatures