Parliament Act (ParlA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Subject matter
This Act regulates: a. the rights and duties of the members of the Federal Assembly; b. the tasks and organisation of the Federal Assembly; c. the procedure in the Federal Assembly; d. procedural relations between the Federal Assembly and the Federal Council; e. procedural relations between the Federal Assembly and the federal courts.
Art. 2 Meetings of the councils
1 The National Council and the Council of States shall convene regularly for ordinary sessions. 2 Either council may decide to convene special sessions if the ordinary sessions are not sufficient to deal with the volume of business. 3 One quarter of the members of a council or of the Federal Council may request that the councils or the United Federal Assembly be convened for an extraordinary session to deal with the following items of business: a. drafts by the Federal Council or of a Federal Assembly committee of a Federal Assembly enactment; b. identical motions that have been submitted in both councils; c. elections; d. declarations by the Federal Council or identical drafts submitted in both councils for declarations by the National Council and the Council of States. 3bis The extraordinary session shall be held immediately if: a. the Federal Council has issued or amended an ordinance based on Article 184 paragraph 3 or 185 paragraph 3 of the Federal Constitution or on a statutory a
Para. 3 let. d — Amended by No I of the FA of 21 June 2013 (Improvements in the Organisation and Procedures of Parliament), in force since 25 Nov. 2013 (AS 2013 3687; BBl 2011 6793, 6829). Para. 3bis let. c — Inserted by No I of the FA of 17 March 2023 (Improvements in the Organisation and Procedures of Parliament, Especially in Crisis Situations), in force since 4 Dec. 2023 (AS 2023 483; BBl 2022 301, 433). Para. 4 — Inserted by No I of the FA of 21 June 2013 (Improvements in the Organisation a
Art. 3 Oath and solemn promise
1 Each member of the Federal Assembly shall swear the oath or make the solemn promise before assuming office. 2 The persons elected by the United Federal Assembly shall swear their oath or make their solemn promise before the United Federal Assembly following their election, unless the law provides otherwise. 3 Any person who refuses to swear the oath or make the solemn promise is prohibited from assuming office. 4 The oath is as follows: «I swear by Almighty God to uphold the Constitution and the law and to fulfil the duties of my office to the best of my abilities.» 5 The solemn promise is as follows: «I solemnly promise to uphold the Constitution and the law and to fulfil the duties of my office to the best of my abilities.»
Art. 4 Access of public to meetings
1 The meetings of the councils and of the United Federal Assembly are open to the public. The debates are published in full in the Official Bulletin of the Federal Assembly. The details of publication are regulated in an ordinance of the Federal Assembly. 2 For the protection of major security interests or for the protection of personal privacy, a meeting in camera may be requested. The following have the right to make such a request: a. a sixth of the members of either council or of the United Federal Assembly; b. a majority of the members of a committee; c. the Federal Council. 3 The debate on an application for a meeting in camera is itself held in camera. 4 Any person who participates in a meeting in camera is obliged to preserve secrecy with regard to the proceedings thereof.
Art. 5 Information
1 The councils and their organs shall provide comprehensive information in good time about their activities provided there are no overriding public or private interests that prevent this. 2 The use of sound or image broadcasts from the Assembly chambers, as well as the accreditation of journalists, is regulated in an ordinance of the Federal Assembly or by the respective standing orders of the councils.