Political Finance Database

Ban does not exist on the federal level. Some cantons (Geneva, Tessin, Neuchatel) have their own regulations.

Ban does not exist on the federal level. Some cantons (Geneva, Tessin, Neuchatel) have their own regulations.

Ban does not exist on the federal level. In Geneva anonymous donations and donations under a pseudonym are prohibited.

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

Switzerland does not directly finance parties with public money on the federal level.

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure. There is no obligation on any kind of transparency of donators, so donors cannot be identified and restricted.
 

Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.
 

12, 'Parallel to statutory norms, the public service broadcasting SRG and its enterprise units have elaborated on a number of principles that must inform their editorial coverage. In addition, on the occasion of Federal elections, the SRG SSR General Directorate issued detailed instructions on election coverage for its enterprise units. The instructions set forth the principles and rules informing both election-related and non-election programmes. Consistent with the jurisprudence of the Federal Tribunal, the instructions defined the criteria for the allocation of airtime to candidates during debates and presentations of political parties: access was guaranteed on a proportional basis, according to parliamentary representation at Federal or Cantonal level and the number of candidates lists submitted in different cantons.' 

'Parallel to statutory norms, the public service broadcasting SRG and its enterprise units have elaborated on a number of principles that must inform their editorial coverage. In addition, on the occasion of Federal elections, the SRG SSR General Directorate issued detailed instructions on election coverage for its enterprise units. The instructions set forth the principles and rules informing both election-related and non-election programmes. Consistent with the jurisprudence of the Federal Tribunal, the instructions defined the criteria for the allocation of airtime to candidates during debates and presentations of political parties: access was guaranteed on a proportional basis, according to parliamentary representation at Federal or Cantonal level and the number of candidates lists submitted in different cantons. (OSCE 2008, p 12)'

P 10, 'Candidates and parties may purchase political advertising in the print media. The only restriction to the equal access by candidates and parties to these media outlets concerns the availability of resources. In contrast, political advertising on television or other broadcast mediums is unlawful. In that regard, all candidates and parties are equal in access, in the sense that none has a chance to buy political advertising on broadcast media.' [no mention of free or subsidised access]  

ax deductions have recently been introduced for donations to political parties, under the federal Act of 12 June 2009 on the deductibility of payments to political parties, which amended the existing law on the subject at federal and cantonal levels.‌ In the case of federal income tax, for example, subscriptions and other payments to political parties of up to CHF 10 000 (about € 8 200) may be deducted from taxable income subject to one of the following conditions: a) the party is registered on the register of parties (see paragraphs 15 and 16); b) it is represented in a cantonal parliament, or c) it obtained at least 3% of the vote at the most recent elections to a cantonal parliament (section 33.‌1.‌i of the Federal Direct Tax Act of 14 December 1990, amended 2014.‌ In the case of cantonal taxes, subscriptions and other payments to political parties up to a level specified in cantonal law that meet one of the three aforementioned representativeness conditions may be deducted from taxable income.‌ The relevant provision is section 9.‌2.‌l of the federal Act of 14 December 1990 on the harmonisation of cantonal and communal direct taxes, as amended by the Act of 12 June 2009.‌ The cantons are required to amend their legislation within two years of the entry into force of this modification.‌ When this deadline expires, section 9.‌2.‌l will be directly applicable if the relevant cantonal tax legislation fails to meet these requirements and the sums referred to in section 33.‌1.‌i will then be applicable.‌

In the report it is stated that:'Political parties and civil society should be encouraged to consider further measures to develop programs that may increase the number of women candidates. In addition, the Swiss government may further consider the development of mechanisms that enhance women?s political participation (OSCE 2008, p 14) 

Any person who offers, promises, or gives a voter or arranges for a voter to be given a gift or other advantage in return for voting in a particular way, or in return for signing or refusing to sign a request for a referendum or an initiative, any person who offers, promises, or gives a voter or arranges for a voter to be given a gift or other advantage in return for not participating in an election or vote, and any person who as a voter secures the promise of or arranges for himself to be given such an advantage, shall be liable to a custodial sentence not exceeding three years or to a monetary penalty.‌

There are no legal provisions on party and campaign financing at federal level, although campaigns for federal elections are increasingly more focused on nation-wide platforms. Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

There is neither any specific legislation for media coverage of the election campaign, nor are there provisions establishing rights of access to the media for political parties and candidates. Rather, the existing regulatory model for electronic media is a mixture of statutory provisions of a general nature.

There are no specific legal provisions for print media. Newspapers and magazines are allowed to sell advertising space to candidates and political parties. The Declaration of Duties and Rights of Journalists - defining the obligations for professional and accurate reporting - represents the only self-regulatory instrument guiding journalists’ activities.
Candidates and parties may purchase political advertising in the print media. The only restriction to the equal access by candidates and parties to these media outlets concerns the availability of resources. In contrast, political advertising on television or other broadcast mediums is unlawful. In that regard, all candidates and parties are equal in access, in the sense that none has a chance to buy political advertising on broadcast media.

The parties also made use of the internet by inserting their political platforms, slogans, photos videos, petitions, candidate meeting agendas during the campaign and, in some cases, creating blogs with the voters. In addition, local electoral campaign tradition played an important role.

The parties also made use of the internet by inserting their political platforms, slogans, photos videos, petitions, candidate meeting agendas during the campaign and, in some cases, creating blogs with the voters. In addition, local electoral campaign tradition played an important role.

There are no legal provisions on party and campaign financing at federal level, although campaigns for federal elections are increasingly more focused on nation-wide platforms. Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

There are no legal provisions on party and campaign financing at federal level, although campaigns for federal elections are increasingly more focused on nation-wide platforms. Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

There are no legal provisions on party and campaign financing at federal level, although campaigns for federal elections are increasingly more focused on nation-wide platforms. Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

There are no legal provisions on party and campaign financing at federal level, although campaigns for federal elections are increasingly more focused on nation-wide platforms. Parties can receive unlimited funds from any source without any requirements of disclosure.

There are only sanctions on the sub-national level.
Nur in den Kantonen Tessin, Genf und Neuenburg ist die Parteifinanzierung reglementiert. Ihre Reglemente sind jedoch ziemlich locker. Im Kanton Tessin müssen nur Spenden über 10'000 SFr. offengelegt und bei kantonalen Wahlen und Abstimmungen alle Ausgaben über 5‘000 SFr. angegeben werden. Genf verpflichtet die Parteien jedes Jahr, ihre Konten offenlegen und ihre Spender nennen, ohne jedoch den gespendeten Betrag veröffentlichen zu müssen. Ein 2013 eingeführtes Gesetz im Kanton Neuenburg besagt, dass Spenden ab 5‘000 SFr. mit Namen der Spender angegeben werden müssen.