The House of the Cantons

26 May 2023

The opening of the House of Cantons (Haus der Kantone, Maison des cantons) in 2008 was a milestone in the cooperation between the 26 cantons. As a joint umbrella organisation of 13 governmental and 16 associated organisations of the cantons, it functions as a centre for knowledge, discussion and consultation.

The House of Cantons concentrates knowledge and provides a central meeting and communication infrastructure. It also facilitates cooperation between the cantons and the Confederation at the national level (government, ministries and parliament ). It promotes cooperation, dialogue, communication and information exchange between the cantons and the Confederation.

Conference of cantonal governments

The governments of the 26 cantons coordinate their (sometimes divergent) interests at the federal level using a four-yearly Conference of cantonal governments (Konferenz der Kantonsregierungen, KdK).

The KdK is primarily concerned with the renewal and further development of federalism, the division of tasks between the Confederation and the cantons, decision-making within the Confederation, implementing federal tasks by the cantons, and (early) communication on foreign and European policy.

Conference of Directors

The director’s conferences (Direktorenkonferenzen) cover the powers of the cantonal authorities (finance, education and culture, documentation, education, health, justice and police, social policy, forests, nature, landscape and climate, construction, planning and environment, public transport, economy, energy and agriculture).

Subsidiarity

In 1848 only minimal powers were granted to the Confederation. This principle is expressed in Article 3 of the Constitution: Subsidiarity requires that all public tasks not explicitly assigned to the Confederation fall within the competence of the cantons, which (can) delegate them in part to the municipalities.

In most cases, the cantons are also responsible for implementing federal policy and legislation. Only in international (c.q. European) relations, defence and finance, and taxation does the Confederation still hold all, or most, of the powers (as expressed by the budget).

But it is precisely here that the Council of State (the Ständerat, the parliamentary representation of the cantons at the federal level) and the cantonal referendum (Kantonsreferendum) can influence federal decisions.

Raison d’être

In many other areas, the situation is diffuse. However, the division of tasks between the Confederation and the cantons (and municipalities) has changed since 1848, and considerable powers have been transferred to the Confederation.

The reorganisation of the financial system of transfers to the cantons and the division of tasks (Neugestaltung des Finanzausgleichs und der Aufgabenteilung zwischen Bund und Kantonen, NFA) between the Confederation and the cantons came into force in 2008.

However, the cantons have also changed since 1848, from an economic, religious, and social point of view and in terms of population density or urban/rural development.

The House of Cantons finds its raison d’être in these developments.

(Source and further information: A. Vatter, Das politische System der Schweiz, Baden-Baden, 2016; Haus der Kantone/ Maison des Cantons).