Swiss order of precedence

The Swiss order of precedence is a hierarchy of important positions within the federal government of Switzerland. It has no legal standing but is used by ceremonial protocol.

The order of precedence is determined by the Protocol Reglement[Le règlement protocolaire de la Confédération] (official French version) and [Protocol Regulations for the Swiss Confederation] (unofficial translation) and the Table of Precedence[Préséance en Suisse] (table of precedence) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The upper part of the list reads as follows:

Swiss Order of Precedence

President of the Confederation (2006: Moritz Leuenberger)
Vice-President of the Federal Council (2006: Micheline Calmy-Rey)
Federal Councillors in the order of precedence determined by seniority of their election by the Federal Assembly (2006: Pascal Couchepin, Joseph Deiss, Samuel Schmid, Christoph Blocher, Hans-Rudolf Merz).
The General (elected only in case of war)
President of the National Council (2005/2006: Claude Janiak).
President of the Council of States (2005/2006: Rolf Büttiker).
Chancellor of the Confederation (Since 1999: Annemarie Huber-Hotz).
President of the Federal Supreme Court (2005: Giusep Nay).
President of the Federal Insurance Court (2006: Susanne Leuzinger-Naef).
Former Federal Councillors in order of election (2006: Kurt Furgler, Pierre Aubert, Leon Schlumpf, Rudolf Friedrich, Alphons Egli, Otto Stich, Elisabeth Kopp, Flavio Cotti, Arnold Koller, Adolf Ogi, René Felber, Kaspar Villiger, Ruth Dreifuss, Ruth Metzler-Arnold)
Presidents of the cantonal governments in the order given in the Constitution, Cardinals, Members of the Council of the Swiss Union of Evangelical Churches, and Grand Rabbis.
First Vice President and 2nd Vice President of the National Council (2005/2006: Christine Egerszegi-Obrist, André Bugnon).
First Vice President and 2nd Vice President of the Council of States (2005/2006: Peter Bieri, Christoffel Brändli).
Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court (2005: Bernard Corboz).
Vice President of the Federal Insurance Court (2006: Pierre Ferrari).
Bishops
Secretaries of State
Members of the National Council in order of election
Members of the Council of States in order of election
Judges of the Federal Supreme Court
Judges of the Federal Insurance Court

References

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