Legislative response to Coronavirus (Switzerland)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Coronavirus is a stress test not only for society but also for the legal order. It is usually the government first to respond. Still, Parliaments play an important role in the time of crisis as well. This is especially the case the longer the pandemic lasts. The Swiss Federal Parliament has seized its operations early in the pandemic. It has reconvened in May for an extraordinary session. The main topic of this session was the approval of the government’s emergency measures. It was expected that the Parliament will also debate initiatives for emergency law from its members and that it will decide on its modus operandi. Also, the decision for an abortion of the session at the wake of the crisis was discussed. Proposals are to be expected to allow sessions by video conference. The paper will deal with the aforementioned questions from a legal perspective. It will analyse the nature of and the relationship between emergency law by the executive and the legislative branch. It focuses on the function of Parliament and its modus operandi in the moment of crisis. It will refer mostly to the Swiss Federal Parliament but will also, especially in comparison, take a look at cantonal law and practice. Some preliminary conclusions are offered at the end of the paper.