Page 183 - DPOL202_COMPARATIVE_POLITICS_AND_GOVERNMENT_ENGLISH

Comparative Politics and Government

Notes

Why the Swiss executive is called plural or collegial executive?

3. Although the Federal Council is virtually a permanent body enjoying enormous powers, it is
subordinate to the national legislature essentially owing to the theory of Swiss Constitution
that the executive is not an independent or co-ordinate branch of government. The Council
really acts according to the policy which originally emanates from the Assembly.
4. The Swiss executive does not correspond to the type of British cabinet. It is true that, like the
British cabinet, it is the child of the legislature, and its members take part in the deliberations of
the Federal Assembly, the Swiss executive is quite different. Its members are not picked up by
a single leader ; they cannot enjoy the membership of the legislature after being so chosen, their
total number is fixed ; they belong to different political parties and thus reveal unity in diversity;
above all, they are not individually or collectively responsible to the legislature.
5. The Swiss executive is different from the American cabinet. Although, its tenure is characterised
by stability and its members do not enjoy the membership of the national legislature, none of
the seven Councillors is like the American President or his secretaries. Unlike the case of
American cabinet, the seven members of the Council are elected by the national legislature in a
joint sitting and the President of the Council possesses nothing similar to the American head of
the state except the official designation. Besides, while the American executive works
independently of the legislative control owing to the system of the separation of powers, the
Swiss system is different where the Councillors take a very prominent part in the deliberations
of the Assembly and pocket their pride if their wishes are turned down.
6. The Swiss executive is virtually a non-partisan body. The members of the Council are not chosen from
the party having majority in the lower house of the national legislature. Rather they are a heterogeneous
group of politicians belonging to different major parties who are chosen in view of their capability of
administration. The party lines are not so rigid and it is administrative skill, mental grasp, good sense,
tact and temperament by which the case of a particular candidate is adjudged.
On the whole, the Swiss executive is neither parliamentary nor presidential; it is unique by itself.
Plurality instead of singularity, diffusion of executive authority instead of concentration, non-
partisanhood in the midst of party politics, stability instead of periodic elections by the national
legislature, and its working under the control of the national legislature and ultimately of the people
may be cited as its special characteristics. Obviously, the Swiss executive is without its parallel.
Self-Assessment
1. Choose the correct options:
(i) The prime minister is the link between the parliament and the ............... .
(a) Judiciary (b) Chief Minister (c) President (d) Ministers
(ii) The American Congress adopted a resolution in ............... which took the form of 25th
constitutional amendment two years later.
(a) 1955 (b) 1965 (c) 1950 (d) 1960
(iii) The impeacement proceedings were made against Nixon in ............... .
(a) 1974 (b) 1985 (c) 1971 (d) 1973
(iv) The functions and powers of the American President may be under ............... .
(a) executive and legislative (b) financial
(c) judicial and emergency (d) All of these
(v) The constitutions empowers the ............... to send messages to the two houses of the parliament.
(a) Prime minister (b) President
(c) Governor (d) Chief minister

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