Swiss Federal Constitution enters into force

Background. Prior to 1798, the Swiss Confederacy was a confederation of independent states based on treaties rather than a constitution. The political crisis of the Regeneration period culminated in the Sonderbund War of November 1847. This conflict between conservative Roman Catholic and liberal Protestant cantons ended with the dissolution of the Sonderbund, violating the Federal Treaty of 1815.

Constitutional Framework. The 1848 constitution established Switzerland as a federal republic, marking the first time the Swiss had a central government instead of being simply a collection of autonomous cantons bound by treaties. The document delineated responsibilities between cantons and the Confederation, establishing federal authorities and granting the Federal Council supreme executive authority.

Implementation. The constitution was accepted by fifteen and a half cantons in the summer of 1848, with six cantons opposing. This cantonal acceptance preceded the formal declaration of the new constitution on 12 September 1848. The first Federal Council, composed entirely of Radicals, sat on 16 November 1848, and the Federal Assembly subsequently determined Bern as the home of federal authorities on 28 November 1848.