ABSTRACT
Switzerland is home to a diverse population and holds an important place in the historical evolution of federal governance as the second formal federation. The Swiss federation incorporates four national languages, a major religious division, key differences in political culture and a number of regional and local identities, many embodied in the twenty-six different cantons. Switzerland's Constitution allows for fewer instances of legislative overlap than many of the other federations; the system of administrative federalism in Switzerland provides at least some opportunities for overlap and a need for coordination. As the analysis of the division of powers demonstrated, the federal government has broad legislative powers which grant it at least some access to almost all government business. With the exception of an aberrant decrease in 2005, Switzerland ranked either first or second in Welfare State expenditures. Although Switzerland's elected second chamber, the Council of States, provides only a partial degree of intrastate federalism and thus a marginal alternative to agreements.
