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Switzerland, or officially the Swiss Confederation is a land-locked country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the German Empire, to the east by Austria-Hungary, to the south by the Socialist Republic of Italy, to the southeast by the Italian Republic and to the west by the Commune of France.
History[]
The Swiss Confederation saw crisis in the 19th century. In several cantons liberal powers prevailed, calling for more democracy and more centralism. This met the opposition of the Catholic, conservatively dominated cantons who formed the Sonderbund in 1845. The Sonderbund War erupted in 1847 which saw the liberals as victors. In 1848 a Federal Constitution was ratified, turning the loose league of cantons into a Federal State with a new federal capital in Bern. The new constitution created new institutions like the (Bundesrat) Federal Council, Bundesversammlung (Federal Assembly), and Bundesgericht (Federal Court). Switzerland remained neutral throughout the Weltkrieg, although there were various domestic conflicts between German and French-speaking Swiss citizens. In addition, economic problems arose from the country being completely surrounded as by warring nations. The radical left gained much support, and in 1918 a strike in Geneva called for by the worker's movement attempted to push through major social changes. The strike was met with repression by the Swiss government due to fear of French syndicalism and its lofty aims were not achieved, but in the strike's wake social reforms begun, bringing about higher wages and shorter workdays. In 1919 the system of proportional representation was introduced. The conservative Freisinnige lost their majority while the social democrats grew stronger.
In the closing stages of the French Civil War in 1919 Switzerland occupied the French region of Haute-Savoie, which it holds to this day. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 had granted Switzerland the right to do this should its independence be threatened. The small Italian exclave of Campione in the Ticino region would also be occupied, but unlike Haute-Savoie was not officially annexed.
Into the 1930s domestic politics were governed in response to the conflict between social democrats and conservatives.
Politics[]
A curious particularity in modern Europe, Switzerland is a liberal parliamentary republic with strong traditions of direct democracy. There is no Head of State per se, instead, the Federal Council, comprised of Seven Members elected by the Federal Assembly, assumes the functions of Head of State as a collegial body. The Head of Government is the President of the Federal Council and is referred to as President of the Swiss Confederation.
Switzerland is comprised of 22 Cantons (or 25, if one counts the six half-cantons separately) and brings together four different linguistic communities.
Federal Council
President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Department of Finance: Albert Meyer.
Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs: Giuseppe Motta
Head of the Department of Justice and Police: Johannes Baumann
Head of the Militärischer Nachrichtendienst: Roger Masson
Chief of Swiss Armed Forces: Jakob I. Huber
Chief of the Swiss Land Forces: Johann August Sutter
Chief of the Swiss Air Forces: Oskar Bider
Military[]
Switzerland follows a policy of armed neutrality; while observing neutrality in foreign relations, the Swiss Armed Forces are ready to react to any threat to the country.
Army[]
The Swiss Army is very modest, compared to their bigger European neighbours. General is the highest rank in the Swiss military but is only occupied during times of great crisis, elected by a United Federal Assembly.
Air Force[]
The Swiss Air Force consist of only one squadron of tactical bombers.
Foreign Relations[]
Friendly relations with Germany, Austria-Hungary and the French Republic, who are recognised by Bern as the legitimate government of France.
Unfriendly relations in general with socialist states, particularly members of the Internationale the Socialist Republic of Italy and the Union of Britain. Worst of all are relations with the Commune of France, which regards Switzerland as illegally occupying its territory.