Swiss Passport

Question 97 of 350 · Separation of powers

How are the judges of the Federal Supreme Court appointed?

Wie werden Richterinnen und Richter am Bundesgericht ernannt?

Correct answer: C

  1. ABy the cantonal parliaments. Each canton can provide one judge.Durch die Kantonsparlamente. Jeder Kanton kann einen Richter stellen.
  2. BThrough a normal application process with a job interview.Durch ein normales Bewerbungsverfahren mit Vorstellungsgespräch.
  3. CBy election by the Federal Parliament.Durch Wahl des Bundesparlaments.
  4. DThe Federal Council has the right to appoint judges.Der Bundesrat hat das Recht, Richter einzusetzen.

Why

Federal judges are elected by the United Federal Assembly, that is, by the National Council and the Council of States together, for six years.

Common mistakes

D: The Federal Council has the right to appoint judges.
The Federal Council is the government. Because of the separation of powers, it may not appoint judges.
B: Through a normal application process with a job interview.
You can apply, but in the end an election in Parliament decides, not a job interview.
A: By the cantonal parliaments. Each canton can provide one judge.
The cantons only elect their own cantonal judges. Federal judges are elected by the Federal Parliament.

Topic

Courts and police

Judges work at courts. Their task is to deliver judgments. They decide whether someone has broken a law and what punishment they receive. They also decide disputes between people or with authorities. They do not defend the accused; a lawyer does that. Nor do they write laws; Parliament does that.

How the state works · Separation of powers

Sources

Official question of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.