ABSTRACT
Switzerland is the oldest federal state in Europe and the second oldest in the world after the United States. Before becoming a federal state in 1848, it was a confederation 2 of states for several centuries and has thus experienced con/federal government for a very long period of time. It is a highly democratic political system, based on very stable representative institutions and extensive provisions for direct democracy. It is also a prosperous country, with a flourishing economy and one of the world’s highest standards of living. Switzerland is a linguistically and religiously mixed country and is often held as an example of how political and economic success can co-exist with cultural diversity.
