View source for Swiss order of precedence

{{Short description|Relative preeminence of officials for ceremonial purposes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Precedence}}

The Swiss [[order of precedence]] is a hierarchy of important positions within the [[Politics of Switzerland|government]] of [[Switzerland]]. It has no legal standing but is used by ceremonial [[Protocol (politics)|protocol]].
The order of precedence is determined by the Protocol Regulations<ref>Protocol regulations for the Swiss Confederation:
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/en/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/Reglement_Protocolaire_E.pdf English (unofficial)] -
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/de/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/Protokollreglement_de.pdf German] -
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/fr/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/Regel_fr.pdf French] -
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/it/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/Regel_it.pdf Italian]</ref>
and the Table of Precedence<ref>Precedence in Switzerland (Appendix to the Protocol regulations):
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/en/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/JUS_2012_RPC_preseance_EN.pdf English (unofficial)] -
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/de/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/JUS_2012_RPC_preseance_DE.pdf German] -
[https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/fr/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/JUS_2012_RPC_preseance_FR.pdf French]</ref>
of the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs]]. Unless otherwise noted, precedence among persons of equal rank is determined by [[seniority]]. As a general rule, spouses share the same rank.

==Table of precedence==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Color legend
|-
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Governments, Parliaments and Courts<br />of the Confederation, Cantons and Communes
|-
| style="background:#CEE0F2;" | Diplomats
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Swiss Armed Forces|Armed forces]]
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | [[Federal administration of Switzerland|Federal administration]]
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | Religious and educational authorities
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank !! Position !! Incumbent ({{As of|2023|2|03|lc=y}})
|-
! 1
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President of the Confederation]]
| [[Viola Amherd]]<ref name="federalcouncil" />
|-
! 2
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice President of the [[Swiss Federal Council|Federal Council]]
| [[Karin Keller-Sutter]]<ref name="federalcouncil" />
|-
! rowspan="2" | 3
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Federal Councillors<ref group=note name=elected />
| [[Guy Parmelin]], [[Ignazio Cassis]], [[Albert Rösti]], [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]], [[Beat Jans]]<ref name="federalcouncil">{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=17 January 2023 |title=The seven members of the Federal Council |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/federal-council/members-of-the-federal-council.html |access-date=3 February 2023 |website=www.admin.ch |publisher=[[Federal Chancellery of Switzerland|Federal Chancellery]]}}</ref><ref name=allfederalcouncils>{{cite web |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/federal-council/history-of-the-federal-council/federal-council-elections-since-1848/alle-bundesraete-liste.html |title=All federal councils |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=15 September 2017 |website=www.admin.ch |publisher=[[Federal Chancellery of Switzerland|Federal Chancellery]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[General (Switzerland)|Commanding General]]<ref group=note name=general />
| ''vacant in time of peace''
|-
! 4
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]]
| [[Eric Nussbaumer]]<ref name=nationalcouncil>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/organe/national-council/office-national-council |title=The Office of the National Council |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.parlament.ch |publisher=[[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|The Swiss Parliament]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 5
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[Council of States (Switzerland)|Council of States]]
| [[Eva Herzog]]<ref name=councilofstates>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/organe/council-of-states/office-council-of-states |title=The Office of the Council of States |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.parlament.ch |publisher=[[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|The Swiss Parliament]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 6
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | [[Federal Chancellor of Switzerland|Federal Chancellor]]
| [[Walter Thurnherr]]<ref name=federalcouncil />
|-
! 7
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Federal Supreme Court]]
| [[Martha Niquille]]<ref name=supremecourt>{{cite web |url=http://www.bger.ch/index/federal/federal-inherit-template/federal-richter/federal-richter-bundesrichter.htm |title=Bundesrichter |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.bger.ch |publisher=[[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Swiss Federal Supreme Court]] |language=de |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 8
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Former Federal Councillors<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of members of the Swiss Federal Council|List of members of the Federal Council]]''
|-
! rowspan="2" | 9
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Presidents of the cantonal governments<ref group=note name=cantons />
| ''see [[List of cantonal executives of Switzerland|List of cantonal executives]]''
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | {{plainlist|
* [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinals]]
* Members of the Council of the [[Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches|Federation of Protestant Churches]]
* [[Chief Rabbi]]s }}
| &nbsp;
|-
! 10
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice Presidents of the National Council
| [[Martin Candinas]] (1st),<ref name=":0" group="note">The Vice Presidency of both chambers are numbered. Whenever the President is not available during the meetings of Parliament they are replaced by the available Vice Presidents.

Usually the 1st Vice President succeeds the outgoing President with the 2nd Vice President taking the place of the 1st one.</ref> [[Eric Nussbaumer]] (2nd)<ref name=":0" group="note" /><ref name=nationalcouncil />
|-
! 11
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice Presidents of the Council of States
| [[Brigitte Häberli-Koller]] (1st),<ref name=":0" group="note" /> [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider|Elisabeth Baume-Schneider]] (2nd)<ref name=":0" group="note" /><ref name=councilofstates />
|-
! rowspan="2" | 12
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court
|
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Bishop]]s
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="2" | 13
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Chief of the Armed Forces (Switzerland)|Chief of the Armed Forces]]
| [[Thomas Süssli]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vtg.admin.ch/de/die-schweizer-armee/chef-der-armee.html |title=Chef der Armee |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.vtg.admin.ch |publisher=[[Swiss Armed Forces]] |language=de |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | [[Secretary of State#Switzerland|Secretaries of State]]
| &nbsp;
|-
! 14
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Members of the National Council<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of members of the Swiss National Council|List of members of the National Council]]''
|-
! 15
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Members of the Council of States<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of members of the Swiss Council of States|List of members of the Council of States]]''
|-
! 16
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Judges of the Federal Supreme Court<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of judges of the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|List of judges of the Federal Supreme Court]]''
|-
! 17
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland|Federal Criminal Court]]
| [[Tito Ponti]]<ref name=criminalcourt>{{cite web |url=http://www.bstger.ch/en/il-tribunale/organizzazione/presidenza.html |title=President of Court |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.bstger.ch |publisher=[[Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland|Swiss Federal Criminal Court]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 18
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[Federal Administrative Court (Switzerland)|Federal Administrative Court]]
| [[Jean-Luc Baechler]]<ref name=administrativecourt>{{cite web |url=https://www.bvger.ch/bvger/en/home/about-fac/organisation/court-presidium.html |title=Court Presidium |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.bvger.ch |publisher=[[Federal Administrative Court (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Administrative Court]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 19
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | President of the [[Federal Patent Court (Switzerland)|Federal Patent Court]]
| [[Mark Schweizer]]<ref name=patentcourt>{{cite web |url=https://www.bundespatentgericht.ch/en/about-the-court/organisation/ |title=Organisation |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.bundespatentgericht.ch |publisher=[[Federal Patent Court (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Patent Court]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="4" | 20
| style="background:#CEE0F2;" | Heads of [[List of diplomatic missions of Switzerland|Swiss diplomatic missions]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Lieutenant Generals]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | {{plainlist|
* Chairman of the Board of the [[Swiss National Bank]]
* Chairman of the Board of [[Swiss Federal Railways]]
* Chairman of the Board of [[Swiss Post]] }}
| {{plainlist|
* [[Thomas Jordan (economist)|Thomas Jordan]]<ref name=snb>{{cite web |url=http://www.snb.ch/en/iabout/snb/bodies/id/snb_bodies_board |title=Governing Board |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.snb.ch |publisher=[[Swiss National Bank]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Monika Ribar]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sbb.ch/en/group/the-company/organisation/corporate-governance/board-of-directors.html |title=Board of Directors |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.sbb.ch |publisher=[[Swiss Federal Railways]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
* [[Urs Schwaller]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.post.ch/en/about-us/company/swiss-post-at-a-glance/board-of-directors-swiss-post |title=Swiss Post Board of Directors |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.post.ch |publisher=[[Swiss Post]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>}}
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | President of the [[ETH Board|Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology]]
| [[Fritz Schiesser]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ethrat.ch/en/eth-board/members-of-eth-board |title=Members of ETH Board |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.ethrat.ch |publisher=[[ETH Board]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
! 21
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice Presidents of the cantonal governments<ref group=note name=cantons />
| ''see [[List of cantonal executives of Switzerland|List of cantonal executives]]''
|-
! 22
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice President of the Federal Criminal Court
| [[Giuseppe Muschietti]]<ref name=criminalcourt />
|-
! 23
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice President of the Federal Administrative Court
| [[Marianne Ryter]]<ref name=administrativecourt />
|-
! 24
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Vice President of the Federal Patent Court
| [[Frank Schnyder]]<ref name=patentcourt />
|-
! 25
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Members of the cantonal governments<ref group=note name=cantons />
| ''see [[List of cantonal executives of Switzerland|List of cantonal executives]]''
|-
! 26
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | Members of the Board of the Swiss National Bank
| [[Fritz Zurbrügg]], [[Andréa Maechler]]<ref name=snb />
|-
! rowspan="3" | 27
| style="background:#CEE0F2;" | [[Ambassador]]s
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Major Generals]]
| &nbsp;
|- 
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | {{plainlist|
* Delegates of the Federal Council
* Directors of Federal Offices
* Secretary-General of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]
* Secretaries-General of the Federal Departments
* Secretary-General of the Federal Supreme Court
* Federal Vice Chancellors of the Confederation
* Trade agreement delegates }}
| ''see [[Federal administration of Switzerland|Federal administration]]''
|-
! rowspan="2" | 28
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Mayor of [[Bern]]
| [[Alec von Graffenried]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bern.ch/en/politics-and-administration/city-council |title=City Council |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.bern.ch |publisher=City of [[Bern]] |access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Rector (academia)|Rectors]] of universities and equivalent establishments
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="3" | 29
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Presidents of cantonal legislatures<ref group=note name=cantons />
| ''see [[List of cantonal legislatures of Switzerland|List of cantonal legislatures]]''
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Brigadier Generals]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | Deputy directors
| &nbsp;
|-
! 30
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | University [[Dean (education)|deans]] and directors
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="2" | 31
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Presidents of the cantonal courts<ref group=note name=cantons />
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Dean (Christianity)|Deans]] of religious authorities
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="2" | 32
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Judges of the Federal Criminal Court<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of judges of the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland|List of judges of the Federal Criminal Court]]''
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Professor]]s of universities and equivalent establishments
| &nbsp;
|-
! 33
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Judges of the Federal Administrative Court<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of judges of the Federal Administrative Court of Switzerland|List of judges of the Federal Administrative Court]]''
|-
! 34
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Judges of the Federal Patent Court<ref group=note name=elected />
| ''see [[List of judges of the Federal Patent Court of Switzerland|List of judges of the Federal Patent Court]]''
|-
! 35
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Presidents of municipal executive authorities<ref group=note name=cantons />
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="4" | 36
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Chancellors of cantons<ref group=note name=cantons />
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#CEE0F2;" | [[Envoy (title)|Ministers]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Colonels]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | Vice directors
| &nbsp;
|-
! 37
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | Members of cantonal legislatures<ref group=note name=cantons />
| ''see [[List of cantonal legislatures of Switzerland|List of cantonal legislatures]]''
|-
! rowspan="2" | 38
| style="background:#F2CECE;" | {{plainlist|
* Cantonal judges<ref group=note name=cantons />
* Cantonal public prosecutors<ref group=note name=cantons />
* Presidents of municipal legislatures<ref group=note name=cantons /> }}
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Lieutenant Colonels]]
| &nbsp;
|-
! rowspan="3" | 39
| style="background:#CEF2CE;" | [[Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces#Officers|Majors]]
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#F2F2CE;" | Section heads
| &nbsp;
|-
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|Priests]] and Protestant [[Minister (Christianity)|Ministers]]
| &nbsp;
|-
! 40
| style="background:#E0CEF2;" | [[Vicar]]s
| &nbsp;
|}

=== Notes ===
{{reflist|group=note|refs=
<ref name=elected>Precedence is determined by date of election.</ref>
<ref name=general>A General is only elected in time of war, and is ranked after the Federal Councillors.</ref>
<ref name=cantons>Precedence of cantonal authorities is determined by the order of cantons in article 1 of the [[Swiss Federal Constitution|Federal Constitution]].</ref>
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Government of Switzerland|Order of precedence]]
[[Category:Orders of precedence|Switzerland]]