Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

Don Severino De Las Alas Campus
Indang, Cavite, Philippines

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

AN ALMOST UTOPIA: A CASE STUDY ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SWITZERLAND

A Case Study Analysis submitted by:

Alegado, Joana Marie O.

Belisano, JV Danielle
Duhaylungsod, Mary Gold T.
Jimenez, Jashley Gayle N.
Manaig, Newton John
Peñaranda, Hannah Kayla C.
Roque, Raenish
Valera, Apple Pearl

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Erika Keith C. Mendoza

Instructor

June 14, 2021

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 1
II. HISTORICAL DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................... 2
A. Political Junctures ................................................................................................................................. 2
B. Government System ............................................................................................................................. 6

III. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ........................................................................................................ 9

A. Strengths of Switzerland's System of Politics and Governance ........................................................... 9
B. Weaknesses of Switzerland’s System of Politics and Governance ................................................... 13

IV. IMPLICATION TO THE PHILIPPINES .................................................................................................. 17

A. Compare and Contrast ....................................................................................................................... 17

B. What to adopt, learn, and avoid? ........................................................................................................ 17

V. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................ 19
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................ 21
I. INTRODUCTION

Switzerland, known as the Swiss Confederation, is a small country located in Central Europe with
16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes, and valleys and one of the most outstanding countries
in the European Region. Switzerland is a landlocked country which means they are surrounded by land -
having no coastline and seaport. Austria, France, Italy, and Germany serve as their borderline. Due to
their lack of resources, the Swiss reinvent themselves over the centuries. Developing alternative sources
of income such as agriculture, tourism, and its service sector makes their country progress. The Swiss
system of having a collective head of state is an exemplar stable political construction. Rather than
settling for one president from one political party, Switzerland has a government made up of seven
ministers from all four of the country's biggest parties. While the presidency rotates each year, with a
member from the council becoming Swiss president, all seven government ministers are equal.

Switzerland has extensive factors in the job market. Their salaries have a huge difference from
other European countries for similar job roles. Those who are living in Geneva and Zurich have the
highest average incomes in the world, mostly within their finance, banking, and insurance. Most people
opt to reside in Switzerland to provide a better quality of life for their families. Many British people who
relocated here believe their children will be safer and will benefit from the advantages Switzerland has yet
to offer. Swiss education is one of the best in the world. Within the various areas of Switzerland, they
have 12 universities and 7 Higher Educational Institutions of Applied Sciences. The world witnessed how
Switzerland already resolved its problem regarding the COVID-19. While the other countries are still in the
struggle of handling their cases, Switzerland is on its way to recovery. It is also because of the quality of
the healthcare system that Switzerland possesses. It is mandatory to purchase healthcare insurance
within three months of relocating to Switzerland. In exchange, you may anticipate good standards, shorter
long waits, and high quality of care.

They are also one of the world's prosperous and orderly nations, and their neutrality has been
well-known for decades. Switzerland has remained relatively unaffected by the recent economic slump,
giving it a haven for investors and an economy with minimal unemployment. Far more interesting is they
have a de-facto capital city which is Bern, but technically Switzerland has no capital city. Having more
than eight million of their total population does not become the reason to restraint the Swiss citizens for
being one of the leading countries to be known as the greatest exporters of Pharmaceuticals, gems,
precious metals, organic chemical, machinery including computers, watches, optical, technical, and
medical apparatus also electrical machinery equipment, perfume, cosmetics, coffee tea, and spices. Most
destinations for the exports of Switzerland are Germany, United States, United Kingdom, China, and
France. Furthermore, Switzerland is one of the top destinations for foreign investment and an important
partner of the EU for trade in services, particularly in commercial service.

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II. HISTORICAL DISCUSSION

This chapter discusses the branches of government in Switzerland and contains important
historical junctures that greatly affect the formation of the country’s current government system.

A. Political Junctures

Switzerland's state formation and political system are a manifestation of its momentous history.
Their political structure known today is a by-product of different historical junctures.

1. The Swiss Confederate and the Austrian Monarchs

a. Battle of Morgarten

Formerly, it was composed of only three cantons or provinces- the Schyz, Uri, and Unterwalden,
forming the Old Swiss Confederacy. These cantons have been practicing direct democracy and united
under the Swiss oldest constitutional document, the Federal Charter of 1291. They created an alliance
against the Habsburg Dynasty because these Austrian monarchs wanted to evade their lands as it was
strategic and the shortest passage to Italy through the Alps.

In November 1315, the Battle of Morgarten took place. An Austrian army, headed by Duke
Leopold I and 8,000 men, marched towards the three cantons for a surprise attack. The Confederate
Army, led by Werner Stauffachern and only 2,000 men strong, ambushed the Austrian army at the
Morgarten pass. The Confederates blocked the track and attacked from above by using rocks, logs, and
halberds. The Swiss won the battle that led to the renewal of the three cantons' oath of allegiance, the
Pact of Brunnen 1315. The Holy Roman Emperor confirmed the rights and secured them virtual
autonomy. The pact also brought significant growth in the Confederation. By 1353, it grew into eight
cantons. The added cantons are Lucerne, Zurich, Glarus, Zig, and Berne.

b. Sempach War

The Sempach War occurred during 1386 between Austria (Leopold III) and the Old Swiss
Confederation. It was a war of liberalization against the feudal rule of the Habsburgs. The battle was
considered the peak of conflict between the dynasty and the Confederates. On July 9, 1386, the troops
from Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, and Underwalten were on their way to Sempach and accidentally met the
Austrian army. None of the two forces did expect a battle. Habsburg's soldiers were surprised by the
appearances of the Confederates and attacked the troops. Leopold III was captured and killed in the war.
The victory was said to be accredited to Arnold von Winkelried when he sacrificed his life by throwing
himself in the spears of Habsburg knights so that the Confederates could advance against the phalanx of
the enemy. The victory at Sempach helped the Confederation to be more unified and marked the growth
of the Swiss Confederacy. Lucerne and Burne had a chance to expand their territory in Habsburg’s

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undefended lands. Hence, this was the starting point of ending the influence of Austria in Western
Europe.

2. The Swiss Confederate and the Burgundian States

For over a century, the Confederation did not increase in members, but they advanced in terms of
territory. Burgundian wars from 1474 until 1477 made Switzerland the central power in the European
region for the next fifty years. By acquisition of victory over Charles the Bold of Burgundy, Swiss gained a
reputation as incredible warriors. Swiss mercenaries became in demand across Europe. Having a Swiss
guard is a symbol of honor since they have a reputation for fighting with loyalty and integrity. However,
Burgundian wars resulted in conflicts between the member states of the Confederation. The entering of
the two cantons, Solothurn and Fribourg, created tension between the rural and urban cantons due to
different interests. The Diet of Stans in 1481 abrogated the tension. It allows Solothurn and Fribourg to be
part of the Confederation to avoid the growing interwar. In 1499, the last war broke out between the
Confederation and the Habsburgs. And being the best in terms of mercenaries, the Swiss defeated the
Habsburgs for the last time. As a result, Basel and Schaffhausen joined the Confederation. In 1513,
Appenzell followed and became the thirteenth member of the league. This was known to be the Swiss
Republic.

3. The Protestant Reformation

In 1523, Ulrich Zwingli introduced the protestant reformation in Zurich. He produced 67 theses
that emphasized Christ first and the church second. His arguments are persuasive enough that made
authorities permit him to continue his preaching. He presented his ideas, First Disputation, before the
Zurich City Councilor, then conducted the Second Disputation later that year. He then founded the Swiss
Reformed Church. Zwingli started to challenge the customs of medieval Christendom he thought were
unbiblical. He condemns the use of images of Jesus, Mary, and saints, the convention of Mass, celibacy
for priests, and fasting. His words began to spread, but the five Roman Catholic members of the
Confederate such as Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Underwalten, and Zug tried to stop him. They form a
Christian alliance with Austria to hinder him from spreading Protestantism. The Protestant Reformation
resulted in considerable changes in civil life and state affairs in Zürich. It also extended to numerous other
Old Swiss Confederacy cantons. However, seven cantons remained Roman Catholic, resulting in inter-
cantonal warfare known as the Kappel Wars. Following the Catholic cantons' triumph in 1531, they went
to implement counter-reformatory measures in several areas. Until the 18th century, the split and enmity
between Catholic and Protestant cantons would define their internal politics and paralyze any united
foreign strategy.

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 4. The Thirty Years’ War

From 1618 to 1648, a series of wars across Europe occurred and was called the Thirty Years’
War. It was the most destructive war ever to happen in European history. The war began in 1618 when
Ferdinand II, the future Holy Roman emperor, tried to force Roman Catholic absolutism on his domains.
Bohemia and Austria rose in rebellion as they were both practicing Protestantism. The war conventionally
started as a religious war, but then paved to more complex tensions. Nations fought for different reasons,
including dynastic, territorial, and commercial rivalries. Ironically, during this time, Switzerland was
relatively at peace. They believe that participation in the war will weaken their formed alliance. They did
not participate, however their soldiers did. Since the Swiss mercenaries are known for their reputation, all
the major players in Europe were dependent upon their military service. In 1648, the war ended through
The Treaty of Westphalia. All the European powers recognized Switzerland and gave its independence
from the Holy Roman Empire of Germany since they did not want to hand over the best mercenary in any
of their rivals. It was also the first time when the neutrality of the Swiss Confederation was recognized.

5. The Swiss under the French Rule

Although there was a significant economic expansion during the Swiss Republic, their political
relationship was relatively weak. There was no Swiss state, citizenship, law, nor government. There was
no central government that bound them as one and each of the 13 cantons had their army. The cantons
only underwent the oath fellowships called Eidgenossenschaft. Despite the peace agreements between
the cantons, religious conflicts persisted. French forces successfully conquered the Old Swiss
Confederation during the French Revolutionary Wars. In 1798, the Swiss were under the complete rule of
French government and established the Helvetic Republic.

Peter Ochs, the chief master of the guilds in Basel, authored a constitution for the new republic
and is believed to be inspired by the French Constitution of 1795. It abolished cantonal sovereignty and
created a centralized government. Switzerland had its first constitution that assured civil rights, territorial
uniformity, and equality among the member states. Manhood suffrage was also exercised. However, the
first years of the republic were disastrous. Swiss became the battlefield of France and its opponent,
Russia. Aside from the external battles, Switzerland was experiencing internal struggles as well. Despite
all these conflicts, the regime highlighted the foundation of direct democracy at a national level. Several
referendums were held in amending the constitution.

The Helvetic Republic was a strong unitary state. Its executive power was held under the rule of
the five-manned directorate. Its constitution led to the creation of the first modern representative
parliament in Switzerland, the National Assembly. It was a bicameral parliament composed of the Senate
and the Grand Council. The Senate constitutes four representatives per canton, while the Grand Council
constitutes eight members per canton. The judiciary was controlled by the High Court. Although the

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Helvetic Republic was under the rule of Swiss citizens, the constitution was designed to ensure French
control.

In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte organized a meeting between the high-ranking Swiss officials. He
realized that a centralized unitary state would not work in Switzerland due to its wide array of differences
in religion, culture, and language. The meeting concluded with the formation of the Federal Constitution
known as the Act of Mediation which ended the Helvetic Republic. The confederate model and the
nationwide referendum were restored under this constitution. The 13 cantons were re-established
together with 6 new cantons (Sankt Gallen, Graubunden, Aargau, Thurgau, Ticino, and Vaud). In
conclusion, the constitution was a combination of the Swiss Republic (cantonal sovereignty) and the
Helvetic Republic (centralized government). When Bonaparte lost in the battle of Waterloo in 1815, the
Mediation Act also lost its meaning. A federal pact took place in the same year which gave the cantons
almost full autonomy over their separate territories. The second Treaty of Paris in the same year declared
the neutrality of the Swiss government.

In September 1848, after the short civil war, the Federal Constitution of Switzerland was
established. It was decided through a popular vote (referendum) per canton. The majority of the cantons
were in favor while nine members (out of 25) rejected the new constitution. It lays the foundation of the
Swiss federal government. The new parliament, Federal Parliament, was introduced. Like the former, the
new parliament has two chambers: the National Councils which represents the people, and the Council of
States, which represents every Swiss canton. It also contains the provision about the initiative. By
collecting 50,000 signatures, citizens could call for a revision or referendum to amend legislation. The
new constitutions also introduced the idea of check and balances among the branches of the government
to avoid the abuse of powers.

6. The Swiss during World Wars

The Swiss political system did not undergo any changes after 1848. Their structure of
government remains the same up to this day. Even the world wars that happened in the past that
changed the course of different countries around the globe, Switzerland stayed neutral throughout. During
World War I and World War II, Switzerland accepted refugees that were fleeing away from the war. They
are known to the world for their humanitarian initiatives by helping the wounded soldiers to get medical
assistance. They remained strongly neutral—although they have an army for defense—and neither joined
the North Atlantic Organization nor the European Union. Through assisting and helping others during the
catastrophic event in their history, they showed that their neutrality has benefits. How ironic for these
people who were excellent at war in the past to become the epitome of peace and serenity of today.

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B. Government System

The Swiss government system is established based on the principle of federalism and direct
democracy. Its democratic political system is one of the most fascinating among other states which
practice the same ideology. Swiss government system delivers utmost priority to the freedom of choice,
representation and is well-rooted to the will of its people.

Switzerland has three political levels, mainly: The Confederation (central power), the cantons
(states), and the communes (the smallest political entity). Switzerland is known for using federalism as
their political system. Under the Swiss federal government, these three political levels share legislative
and executive powers. The power of the Confederation is limited to what is written under the Federal
Constitution. Common examples of the duty of Confederation are: creating foreign and security policies,
custom and monetary policies, and national legislations. The 26 cantons have the responsibility of other
matters such as health, education, and creating policies. Each canton has its independent constitution
that is aligned with the Federal Constitution. The government officials are elected by the people through
the first-past-the-post. On the other hand, the 2,300 communes are responsible to enact the legislation
granted by their canton or by the Confederation itself. However, they can create their own if there some
matters were not covered by the cantonal legislation. Since Switzerland has different cultures, traditions,
and languages, federalism excellently accommodates unity among each canton despite its diversity.

1. Legislative Branch

Switzerland practices a parliamentary type of government. Its legislative power resides on the
Swiss Parliament known as the Federal Assembly. The Federal Assembly is composed of 246 members,
directly elected by the people every four years, and divided into two chambers.

a. The National Council

The National Council or the lower chamber represents the people in the legislative body. This
chamber is composed of 200 representatives who were elected through a popular vote for a term of four
years. Each canton must send one representative for 40,000 citizens. Under the Swiss Federal
Constitution, it is mandatory for every canton to have one representative despite not having 40,000
inhabitants in the area.

b. The Council of States

The Council of States represents the cantons and has 46 seats available—who were directly
elected by the people. Every cantons must be sent to deputies, except for six half-cantons. These are the
cantons of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden, Appenzell-Innerrhoden, Obwalden, Nilwalden, Basel-Stadt, and
Basel-Land; with only one deputy each.

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Powers of the Federal Assembly

The two councils are conducting a three-week session, four times every year. It is open to the
public. In these sessions, they are debating about the amendments before conducting a popular vote.
They also have to create, amend, and even repeal legislation and also ratify the international treaties.
Annually, these two chambers sit as one, known as the United Federal Assembly. During this meeting,
they will elect the members of the Federal Council as well as the court judges.

2. Executive Branch

The Federal Council or Bundesrat holds the executive branch of the Swiss government. Under
the Swiss constitution, Article 177, the Federal Council is a collegial body. This council is composed of
seven members, referred to as federal councilors, coming from the four dominating political parties. The
Federal Council is composed of one representative from the Swiss Christian Democratic Party (CVP) and
two representatives each from the Liberal Party (FDP), the Swiss Social Democratic Party (SP), and the
Swiss People’s Party (SVP). The members have equal powers and each holds one of the executive
cabinets. Every year, the Federal Assembly (legislative branch) is electing a federal president and vice
president among the seven. The president can be elected as many times as he/she desires although their
term ends every four years, term limits do not exist in Switzerland. However, the President has no
additional powers compared to the members of the executive and the role is mostly ceremonial.

Duties and Powers of the Federal Council

Under Article 178 of the Swiss constitution, the Federal Council is in charge of the Federal
Administration. This administration is divided into different departments that are headed by the members
of the council. It is to ensure that it is appropriately organized and fulfills its duty effectively. The council
enacts the law, plans, and decides the direction of every government policy, they could submit drafts of
legislations in the Federal Assembly, prepare the national budget and Swiss’ representation abroad.

3. Judicial Branch

Switzerland’s highest court is the Federal Supreme Court. It is organized into five (5) sections and
composed of 38 judges and 31 substitutes. The Federal Assembly (legislative branch) is responsible for
selecting the judges that will serve for a six-year term. Aside from the federal court, each of the 26
cantons has its court and even its constitution. The role of the Federal Supreme Court is to ensure the
uniformity of the law when applied in each canton. It serves as the final stage on all appeals against the
decision from the cantonal courts, the Federal Patent Court, the Federal Criminal Court, and the Federal

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Administrative Court. It guarantees the protection of the citizen's rights and secures that the federal law is
properly applied in individual cases.

One of the highlights of the Swiss political system is the presence of direct democracy. Average
Swiss citizens can participate directly in politics. They can vote four times a year on certain issues within
their community, canton, or even at the national level. For example, they can vote on whether to have a
new school built in the village. If they happen to disagree with the laws created by the Parliament; they
can overturn them by participating in a referendum. If they manage to collect 50,000 signatures within 100
days of the official publication of the act, the bill has to be voted on by the public. It can only be put into
action if the majority of the people accept it. And if they wish to amend the Constitution, they can practice
this right through people’s initiative. They have to collect 100,000 within the span of 18 months.

The Swiss State, taking its being as a confederation, implements federalism and practices direct
democracy makes an essential part of the Swiss national identity. It is a small country with a pool of
diversity. It has four national languages and has geographical differences. Despite having fragmented
identities, these varied aspects manage to coexist through the help of federalism. This progressive and
unique political system plays a vital role that unites and allows different features to be concordant.

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III. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
This chapter contains the determined and assessed perceived strengths and weaknesses of
Switzerland's system of politics and governance.

A. Strengths of Switzerland's System of Politics and Governance

Switzerland is one of the smallest yet wealthiest countries in the world. Switzerland's system of
politics and governance is seen by many countries as an ideal democracy. This is due to the fact that the
country's rank nears the top for civil liberties, quality of life, government transparency, political
participation, and a number of other positive attributes to human development. The country has one of
most egalitarian political systems in the world with a good combination of market economy and social
welfare system. According to Transparency International in the Corruption Perceptions Index, Switzerland
scored 85 out of 100, ranking just behind just New Zealand and Denmark as the least corrupt nation in
the world.

1. Direct Democracy in Switzerland

Most countries have a representative system where citizens select leaders to make policy and
represent the people's interests. In Switzerland, people do not vote for a President, they vote for the
members of the Federal Parliament instead which includes the 7 cabinet ministers elected by the
Parliament that will serve as the collective head of the State and government of the country. In addition to
that, Swiss people are called on to vote on a wide range of topics at different levels. It is one of the
special features of Swiss political system wherein people take part in the federal political decision-making
process and they can directly intervene in politics. This is to ensure that the public demands and opinions
are understood and taken into consideration in making policies. This allows all Swiss citizens over the
age of 18 to vote on decisions taken by the Federal Government. With that, people cannot only vote, elect
representatives and stand for election, but they can also make new laws and change the existing ones by
means of three instruments:

Citizens can propose an amendment or addition to the Constitution through a popular initiative. It
serves as a catalyst for the initiator of a political discourse on a specific topic. For example, in 1971 the
constitution was amended by national referendum which officially granted women the right to vote in
federal elections and hold federal office, in 1991, a referendum was approved lowering the voting age to
18 years old for federal elections, and in 2002, Swiss voters endorsed government membership into the
United Nations (UN). People can request that any law passed by the Federal Assembly be submitted to a
countrywide vote in an optional referendum. The first initiative was launched in 1893, when voters
rejected the parliament's desires and backed the restriction of animal slaughter using Jewish religious
rites. They also have the Mandatory referendum in which all constitutional amendments approved by

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parliament are subject to a mandatory referendum. Due to this, citizens are called on 4 times a year to
vote on federal proposals. It allows them to challenge a piece of legislative already approved by the
parliament. Switzerland also hold landsgemeind or public voting at the cantonal level which takes place
the last Sunday in April and the first Sunday of May. It is one of the oldest and simplest form of Direct
Democracy in Switzerland. People congregate in the open to select their representatives for cantonal
offices and courts, as well as to decide on laws and participate in serious discussions relating to financial
matters and other businesses. Every person is entitled to vote and may take the podium to raise their
concerns or criticism.

What makes their government function smoothly is that they’re highly decentralized. The majority of its
legislation is decided by popular vote. It takes place in three levels, some are at the federal level, some at
the cantonal level. This is in line with the principle of subsidiary under which central authority only
performs tasks that cannot be handled at the local levels.

2. It allows the citizens to propose legislation

Swiss citizens have the right to propose legislation and can do so by launching a popular Initiative.
This builds relationships within and between communities and social groups which can create a network
and share information. It allows the people to develop better management strategies around important
issues confronting the country including social, economic, educational and healthcare inequities. Direct
democracy also ensures that all policies carry the interests of most people. It provides meaningful
services to its citizens that improve quality of life, liberty and security of the person.

3. Full Government Transparency

Switzerland's federal government has a legal duty to inform citizens. It ensures a greater degree
of transparency between the people and their government. The major player of TV and radio at the
national level is the publicly financed SRF Swiss Broadcasting Company. For the international public and
Swiss overseas, the Swiss Broadcasting Company publishes in ten different languages on
www.swissinfo.ch. portal, in which they coordinate government business, including the flow of information
to the media and the public regarding decisions and policy stances of the Swiss government. Discussions
and debates on major issues, even regular meetings at cantonal level are open to the public, which
allows people to observe the whole process. They believe that this allows voters to disrupt entrenched
financial and political interests.

4. Promotes political participation

Many theorists see public participation in democratic politics as an essential tool for the human
condition to flourish. Others argue that participation has great instrumental value in helping to protect
democracy from the threat of public apathy as well as from declining into authoritarianism. Either way, the

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experience of meaningful engagement in sociopolitical processes helps the people to take the lead in
advocating issues that are important to them. It ensures that everyone is given an equal platform to
transcend personal concerns and encourages people to play a role in formulating and shaping their
politics. It enables people to share in the responsibility for improving their quality of life. This all results in
a system where the citizens are informed on the issues affecting the country, involved in political matters,
and political awareness is valued more by society.

COVID-19 Response in Switzerland

The Federal Government initially tightened its reporting obligations in connection with the virus,
instructed doctors and laboratories to report suspected COVID-19 infection to the cantons and
confederation within two hours. The Federal Office of Public Health also contacted operators who
organize group trips to Switzerland with guests from Asia (the chronology draws from: Schenkel, 2020;
NZZ, 2020; EDI/BAG 2020a; 2020b, the COVID‐19 Ordonnance and the 24 updates of the COVID‐19
Ordonnance 2). On January 30th last year, the FOPH set up a toll-free hotline to answer questions from
the general public about COVID-19. The following month, the first restrictive measures began at the
airports as incoming air passengers became the first focus of prevention against COVID-19. Flyers were
distributed at airports to raise awareness about the virus as passengers flying from Beijing to Geneva with
Air China had to leave their contact details with the authorities. The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in the
suspension of numerous flights to China. On March 13th, the government enacted the first revision of the
COVID-19 regulation, banning events with more than 100 people and limiting the capacity of restaurants,
bars and nightclubs to 50 people. Two days later, the Administration Delegation of Federal Assembly (the
national legislative chambers) ended the current spring session prematurely. The president of the Council
of States declared that through this decision, the Parliament wanted to encourage the people. to stay at
home.

In March 2020, the Federal Council passed a comprehensive package of measures totaling 32
billion francs (35 billion US dollars) to cushion the economic consequences of the pandemic. Together
with the measures approved on March 13th, a total of 42 billion Swiss Francs (45 billion US dollars) in
financial support was made available to various population groups. In particular, the financial package
enabled easier access to partial unemployment benefits and compensation for lost wages (State
Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, 2020.) Finance Minister Ueli Maurer increased the emergency
loans and guarantees by a further CHF 20 billion (22 billion) at the beginning of April.

On March 16th, the Federal Council changed the classification of the situation from “special” to
th
“extraordinary” by virtue of the Epidemic Act, which came into effect until April 19 . It then decreed the
following safety measures: all public and private demonstrations and events were banned; Shops,

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restaurants, bars as well as entertainment and leisure facilities had to close. Grocery stores, pharmacies
and take-out restaurants remained open. As of March 21, gatherings of more than five people in public
places were prohibited, members of smaller groups had to keep a distance of at least two meters, anyone
who violates this rule can expect a fine of up to 108 Swiss Francs per person.

The Federal Council's crisis management during the state of emergency was viewed as a
successful phase in their fight against the pandemic, as it did not jeopardize public order. There was no
indication that the Federal Council intended to use the emergency law against democratic institutions. In
addition, in the midst of the intense phase of the crisis, the Federal Government and the chief authorities
have communicated effectively and given the administration a trustworthy image. The Government Board
also demonstrated its ability to strike for an adjustment between restrictions (lockdown) and freedom
(without full restriction) that was suitable for the Swiss population who largely complied with the measures.
Overall, the government delivered what is expected of it, especially during the lockdown: the early, but not
hasty, decisive but prudent, confidence-building fight against the pandemic (Mavrot & Céline Sager,
2021).

In August 2020, The Federal Council and Parliament drafted the COVID-19 Act. It was approved
by the Parliament in September 2020 and declared a matter of urgency, which meant that it came into
effect immediately. The Act gives the Federal Council new powers to combat the Coronavirus pandemic,
particularly to mitigate its negative effects on society and the economy. It includes the measures that the
Federal Council and Parliament still have to take to cope with the pandemic and to mitigate the economic
consequences. In particular, it regulates various categories of financial aid for individuals and businesses,
the most important financial packages of which are for compensation for work in the event of loss of
income and assistance in cases of difficulties, and support for cultural and sports organizations. The law
is limited in time. A vote will take place because a referendum has been called against the Parliament's
decision. Christoph Pfluger said Switzerland will be the first and perhaps the only country that would give
its citizens a direct vote on Coronavirus restrictions.

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B. Weaknesses of Switzerland’s System of Politics and Governance

Switzerland's political system is regarded as “little short of utopia” by many of the analysts of
modern politics. It is often referred to as a country of eternal campaign. As Switzerland’s political system
is based on three political systems fundamental principles: decentralization, federalism, and direct
democracy. However, while Swiss political system is seemingly perfect, there are still things which make
it remain a little short of perfection.

Open conversations between government and citizens are the product of the Swiss political
system tradition of direct democracy. The population gets to vote on public reforms several times a year,
impacting the future policies of their country. Discussions on direct-democratic institutions deal with
several issues. Popular sovereignty, political equality, and the idea that citizens should have the right not
only to elect representatives, but also on policy issues - these are the normative constituency of direct
democracy. Below are the following arguments that would pose arguments critical of direct democracy.

1. Citizen Information and Competence

Relatively high levels of knowledge of issues, often complex, are demanded from citizens to
utilize direct democracy as efficiently as possible. With direct democracy, concerns are often expressed
regarding voters’ competence. They may not always have the capacity or necessary information to make
well- informed decisions about the issue at stake. These objections, however, could arguably be made
against all forms of democracy, not just direct democracy. In a democracy, people need to be informed
about, and interested in, public affairs.

2. Voter Irrationality

Citizens could be irrational voters. To address a particular question in a clear and decisive way,
referendums and citizens’ initiatives are both used. Nevertheless, the likelihood of questions that prove to
be of irrationality would appear in the mind of voters. Many unrelated factors could come into play when
voting, such as the standing of the political parties or their leaders, can have an influence on outcomes.
An example, during the 2011 referendum on electoral reform in the United Kingdom, because many
voters associated the proposed reform with the leader of the junior coalition partner who was widely
perceived to have lost the trust of the public- it was defeated by a large majority.

3. Voter Fatigue

Direct democracy best serves the interest of the people when most of the people participate in it.
The time required for debating and voting increases, public interest, and participation within the process
would risk voter fatigue if these democracy mechanisms are used too often, particularly if they are used to
decide relatively complex and technical issues rather than important matters of principle. Many voters

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may disengage from the political process if they have neither the time nor the knowledge to make so
many decisions resulting in decisions that didn’t truly reflect the desire of the majority. In Switzerland, it is
rare for more than half of eligible voters to cast a ballot in referendums and initiatives; even if their country
has a very deep tradition of participatory democracy; those with no strong view on an issue will typically
abstain.

4. Short-term versus Long-term Policies

Direct democracy expresses public opinion on one issue at a particular time. It does not require
voters to consider issues holistically, judging a party or coalition by its record over a course of several
years. Excessive reliance on direct democracy may therefore encourage policies that are popular in the
short term (e.g. tax cuts) to the detriment of long-term goals (e.g. reducing the public debt or investing in
public services), as California’s experience has demonstrated.

5. Governability and Policy Coherence

Political system may overload if there is a frequent use of direct democracy mechanisms. If there
is more increase in expectations and more demands are placed upon the state than it is able to respond
to, the legitimacy of the democratic system would weaken as a whole. There is also a possibility of policy
incoherence if the people make a series of mutually incompatible decisions.

6. Conservative Bias

There are arguments among scholars that referendums and citizens’ initiatives disproportionately
favor conservative policies over progressive ones. Non-elite citizens are typically less educated and less
cosmopolitan than elites, and may maintain more traditional or even reactionary values: transferring
decision making from (relatively elite) politicians to ordinary citizens can therefore hinder progressive
reforms. Moreover, in a referendum campaign, the ‘no’ side, favoring the status quo, typically has a
structural advantage over those who are advocating change (the ‘yes’ side is usually seen as having the
burden of proof).

7. Social Conflict and Minority Rights

Referendums and initiatives, particularly with a simple-majority adoption requirement, may

deepen divisions in society, threaten the rights of minorities and increase racial, ethnic, linguistic or
religious tensions. In 2012, for example, Latvia held a citizens’ initiative to amend the constitution to
recognize the linguistic rights of the country’s Russian-speaking minority. The campaign further increased
tensions between the Latvian-speaking and Russian-speaking sections of the population. In a fragmented
and weakly consolidated democracy, or in situations where a constitutional settlement involves delicately
balanced compromises, the majoritarian effect of referendums could undermine agreements and
undermine attempts to promote inclusive arrangements.

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 8. Polarization

Direct democracy mechanisms usually require people to vote yes or no to a specific and often
very controversial issue. Once the question has been set and the options have been decided upon,
nuance may be lost, and opportunities for compromise may be limited. As a result, direct democracy has
the ability to polarize discourse, intensify political tensions, and increase the risk of disruptive reactions
like boycotts and riots.Kenya's 2005 constitutional referendum is an example of a vote that polarized and
damaged the country.

Tobias Montag, a political scientist at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation said that he does not
believe referendums are generally helpful in alleviating a society's problems. He stated that direct
democracy maneuvers often lead to great polarization and that in itself, it not helpful to democracy.

9. Slow political process

The slow and complicated process of referendums is one, if not the most cited weakness in direct
democracy. As seen with the Brexit issue in recent years, the slow and complicated issue of referendums
proves inefficient in dealing with extremely big complex issues.

Swiss’ democratic system, although widely recognized as one of the best in the world, have its
flaws as the process of direct democracy can actually slow down implementing change as well as slow
down the process of making decisions. Switzerland’s referendums make it clear that too many
referendums can have the tendency to bore and disengage voters. It is ev

Implementing improvements and changes may be more challenging as a result of this sluggish
decision-making. An example is the proposed 16 kilometer rail link connecting Geneva to France was due
to be completed in 2019, despite its proposal dates back to 1850 since gaining consensus in this climate
proved difficult. It is evident in 2019 that the Swiss Supreme Court ruled to overturn a referendum, due to
the voter’s lack of information and awareness over the issue.

10. The Swiss model can stifle reform

Switzerland enjoys being ranked among the least corrupt countries. Since the country is a
signatory to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention together with the other anti-corruption laws, companies
generally consider corruption for doing business in Switzerland. However, Transparency International (TI)
though ranking Switzerland as one of the best for its level of transparency in terms of the TI Corruption
Perception Index, The TI Index does not presently consider corruption concerns such as private sector
corruption, whistleblower protection, or money laundering, all of which are well-known in the nation. The
Swiss banking industry is perceived to be extremely non-transparent with secrecy laws that can allow tax
evasion, money laundering, and hiding money illegally obtained.

15
 With such discrepancy, Switzerland was ranked as one of the least corrupt countries despite their
banks being directly implicated in some of the largest corruption scandals in the world, such as the
Malaysian 1MDB scandal or the Brazilian Petrobras scandal. The country was observed to be not
remotely equipped to dismantle serious failings of the private sector in the same way that the other
systems may be able to.

COVID-19 Response in Switzerland

Throughout much of the early stages of the special measures, high supports of public were
shown regarding the measures enacted by the government. Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the only one
conservative liberal quality paper insisted that the emergency law was a threat to democracy and civic
liberty, and quite notoriously kept publishing opinion pieces over two months promoting this message.
Another criticism also came from the Swiss branch of Amnesty International because of the limitations of
citizens’ rights during the lockdown—especially following police interventions in local protests—and from
Amnesty and consumers’ organizations because of threats to data protection, given that the Federal
Council initiated the development of an official contact tracing phone app for the country (Amnesty
International, 2020a, 2020b).

Between April 22 and April 28, a jointly commissioned opinion survey by three newspapers in
Swiss linguistic regions was performed, after the Federal Council announced the first relaxation of
measures in April and May. While 42% of respondents believed the measures were well‐balanced, 43%
thought the economy was (rather) too strongly affected by the measures taken to fight the pandemic, and
another 15% felt that health was (rather) In compared to the economic factors, they are underprotected.
More specifically, regarding the reopening, only 39% of the respondents (rather) believed that restaurants
should reopen sooner than announced. The fact that the Federal Council announced the early reopening
of restaurants on April 29 suggests that it was responding to economic constraints rather than popular
opinion as represented in this nationwide survey.

Even though with general public support, public and political scrutiny were still presented in the
government's work. The failure to ensure sufficient stocks of medical material, unmet demands ranging
from health security to labor maker during the relaxation measures, and economic concerns to an
ongoing social life, these are criticisms that were met by the Federal Council. In addition, the gaps in the
reserves of ethanol and medical consumables are also criticized, especially when it came to hygiene
masks and face coverings. In the following, the shift in priorities from health to the economy led to a
fallback into long‐established and well‐proven modes of neo‐corporatist decision making that heavily
prioritize economic interests are argued.

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IV. IMPLICATION TO THE PHILIPPINES
This chapter contains the differences between the political system of Switzerland and the
Philippines. Moreover, this chapter will also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the political system
of the two countries. Also, what are the things that the Philippines can adopt, learn, and avoid from the
political and government system of Switzerland.

A. Compare and Contrast

Switzerland is known for its famous and unique political system which is the direct democracy.
Individuals are engaged directly in politics under direct democracy, and everyone can contribute to the
organization of the state, cantons, and towns. The main advantage of this political system is that it gives
2/3 citizens a lot of power in decision-making every so often several times a year. They can make
decisions not just on who runs the country but also on concrete proposals. The disadvantage of this
system is that it probably makes decision-making slower and there’s a lot of political actors involved: the
parliamentary administration, the government, the interest groups, and the people. It is unclear at the end
who has been responsible. On the other hand, the Philippines have indirect democracy or representative
democracy wherein Filipino people elect representatives or officials to make and vote on laws, policies,
and other matters of government on their behalf. The advantage of this system is that it is efficient
because it can save more time and money; it is empowering wherein people will vote for a representative
that will make their voice heard by the national government and if those representatives fail to meet their
expectations, they can change their vote to the next election. The disadvantage of this system is that it
can attract corruption in the same manner it is not always trustworthy because the officials that has been
elected are not always reflect to the will of its people likewise in the current situation of the Philippines;
wherein elected officials are only focusing for their personal interests rather than the interests of its
constituents. When it comes to the government system of the two countries they also differ from each
other. Switzerland has a federal form of government while the Philippines have a unitary form of
government.

B. What to adopt, learn, and avoid?

In a country with direct democracy, one of the most important aspects that the Philippines will
learn is the practice of the government being transparent to its people. The will of the people is always at
topmost priority because the people are involved directly in terms of the decision-making. It has more
cooperative work between the people and the government. Also, every citizen in the state is responsible
for taking actions that give development to their quality of life. Moreover, the other thing that the
Philippines can adopt is the well-organized health care system in Switzerland. Unlike Switzerland, the
health care system in the Philippines is the most neglected by the government. According to the World

17
Health Organization (WHO) labels a healthcare system as “well-functioning” if it provides impartial access
to quality healthcare regardless of pay dimensions while protecting them from financial consequences of
poor health. Unfortunately, the Healthcare of the Philippines does not meet the set of standards given by
the World Health Organization. These only prove that the Philippines have a poor health care system.

Aside from all of the things that the Philippines can learn and adopt from Switzerland like other
countries in the world Switzerland also experienced shortcomings that the Philippines must avoid. In
Switzerland it has shortcomings for instance, the lack of the constitutional court in party financing which is
not transparent and in the weak participation in public votes and in the election it shows that only two out
of five citizens are authorized to cast their votes. Despite some deficiencies Switzerland’s direct
democracy is unique. Switzerland is the only system where direct democracy plays such an important role
in decision-making at the national level when the vote on issues determines the political agenda to superb
level that makes the decision-making of Switzerland because It makes decision-making less foreseeable
to a significant extent since, in the end, it is the public who will determine, not only the authorities or the
leaders.

Moreover, in the past sections of this narrative it has been outlined that Switzerland is in a Federal
system of Government, and thus it makes one of the things the Philippines should avoid to adopt.
Philippines is already a divided archipelagic region, parting it more on 18 states may end up destroying its
socioeconomic and ethno-political tragically. Other than that, this system can only proliferate the number
of Political Dynasties in the country. According to academic studies cited by Forbes, around 178 so-called
"political dynasties" – Authorities with related and blood connections control 73 of the country's 81
provinces. They also control up to 70% of the legislature, thus they seem likely to remove any proposed
restrictions on the proliferation of political dynasties. A Federal form of Government only makes them a
new form of colony to take their existence as superior, or even above anyone. Political Dynasties closed
the doors for new and fresh candidates to run for a position, and eventually might hamper the progress of
change. It doesn’t end here; also, Federalism might end in disaster, as not all the provinces in the
Philippines are capable of raising their own taxes. According to Forbes, the vast majority of provinces,
which will be submerged into new federal states, lack the basic administrative capacity for generating
revenue. Not even to consider the additional taxation duplication and burden on the emerging
bureaucracies of the border under a federal system or structure. Under this system, the richer states will
dominate the economic race, and the poorer will merge down the competition even more. Let’s take as an
example, the rich coastal states of California and New York, and the southern and mid-western states, on
the other hand, have barely narrowed after two centuries of federalist experience. It is not true that
Federalism is suited in the Philippines, it will only proliferate inequality.

18
V. CONCLUSION
Switzerland is now one of the most ideal countries that most people want to be in. Politics,
economic market, life expectancy, medical services, education, and undeniable neutrality - these are just
some of the factors that put up with Switzerland building them up as one of the best countries in the world.
Another matter that made Switzerland rise to the top is the rate on how they resolved the global-wide
issue regarding COVID-19. Not only do they handle their cases efficiently, they are also involved at a
multilateral level, helping the international community to combat the pandemic.

The history of Switzerland is the major factor on how they run their country. Switzerland had no
real established state at first or at least a unitary state, not until when Napoleon Bonaparte arrived. He
realized that a centralized unitary state would not work in Switzerland due to its wide array of differences
in religion, culture, and language. This is also due to the numerous reformations that the country received
from different wars and invasion of other countries. After the federal pact took place that gave the cantons
almost full authority within their separate territories, it also declared from the second treaty of Paris the
neutrality of the Swiss Government.

The factor that lets Switzerland rise from others is within their politics. Direct Democracy works
best for this country since it is built up with lots of diversity in different aspects. This lets the Swiss people
be involved within the affairs of the government and let them propose a bill or an amendment. By this
process, the people create their network that builds the relationship and share information to create a
more meaningful initiative. The participation of people also ensures the transparency within their
government, since the debates and meetings can be shown to people for them to observe the whole
process. But Direct Democracy is not perfect at all since it also factors on how rational the people are. An
instance of Swiss people having not enough information to make decisions is not impossible since this
also depends on how competent the people or voters will be. This type of democracy may also result in
people disengaging from the political process and making decisions that result in decisions that do not
truly reflect the choice of the majority. Basically, the flaw of direct democracy lies in the status of a person,
their knowledge and competence, and their patience as referendums always take time and are
complicated as it is.

The main difference that the Philippines have with Switzerland is in terms of political participation
of their people and the form of government. The Philippines have the unitary form while Switzerland has a
federal form of government. Switzerland defined the terms on how and up to what extent their people can
participate, compared to the Philippines that have undefined roles of the people when participating
politically. This difference also results in the difference in trust the government receives from their people.
Since the Swiss Confederation has direct democracy, it is shown that it is more transparent. On the other
hand, the Philippines does not have that kind of system that allows people to raise suspicions on what the
government is doing and can always attract corruption. In addition, there is also a major difference in how
both countries handled the problem regarding the COVID-19. Switzerland maximizes their resources in

19
order to provide more medical help to their people in just a short timeframe, while the Philippines cannot
keep up with the rates of infections because most of the medical plans go on hold because of numerous
anomalies and allegations of corruption. The only thing that the Philippines must adapt from Switzerland
is being transparent to their people. They must not disregard the will of the people as it is important
because their people are also involved within the decision making.

20
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