Suiza Gobierno Perfil 2008

Capital

nombre: Bern
coordenadas geográficas: 46 57 N, 7 26 E
diferencia de tiempo: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Independencia

1 Agosto 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Feriado nacional

Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 Agosto (1291)

Constitución

revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 Diciembre 1998, adoptada by referendum 18 Abril 1999, officially entered into force 1 Enero 2000

Sufragio

18 años de edad; universal

Poder Executivo

jefe de estado: Presidente Pascal COUCHEPIN (desde 1 January 2008); Vice Presidente Hans-Rudolf MERZ (desde 1 January 2008); note - the president is both the jefe de estado and jefe de gobierno representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal jefe de estado and jefe de gobierno whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council
jefe de gobierno: Presidente Pascal COUCHEPIN (desde 1 January 2008); Vice Presidente Hans-Rudolf MERZ (desde 1 January 2008)
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 12 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2008)
election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 80.0%; Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%