Swiss Passport

Question 75 of 350 · Separation of powers

What does separation of powers mean?

Was bedeutet Gewaltenteilung?

Correct answer: C

  1. AThe police and the military may both use force.Polizei und Militär dürfen beide Gewalt anwenden.
  2. BThe distribution of power between state and church.Die Verteilung der Macht auf Staat und Kirche.
  3. CThe distribution of state power among different state bodies such as the government, parliament and the courts.Die Verteilung der Staatsgewalt auf verschiedene Staatsorgane wie Regierung, Parlament und Gerichte.
  4. DThe distribution of power between the National Council and the Council of States.Die Verteilung der Macht auf den Nationalrat und den Ständerat.

Why

Separation of powers means that state power is divided among parliament, government and the courts. This way no single body can have all the power.

Common mistakes

A: The police and the military may both use force.
Here «power» (Gewalt) does not mean physical force, but state power.
D: The distribution of power between the National Council and the Council of States.
The National Council and the Council of States are both part of the same power, the legislature.
B: The distribution of power between state and church.
The separation of state and church is a different topic. Separation of powers concerns the state bodies.

Topic

Legislature, executive, judiciary (and the media)

In Switzerland the power of the state is divided among three branches. This is called the separation of powers. In German the word «Gewalt» here does not mean violence but power. No person and no authority should have all the power. The branches control each other. This prevents abuse of power. The separation of powers exists at all three levels of government: in the Confederation, in the cantons and in the municipalities.

How the state works · Separation of powers

Sources

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