Grand Council of Geneva

The Grand Council of Geneva (French: Grand Conseil de Genève) is the legislature of the canton of Geneva, in Switzerland. Geneva, styled as a 'Republic and Canton', has a unicameral legislature. The Grand Council was established in its present form and with 100 seats in 1842,[1] with members elected every four years. Its oldest ancestor is the Council of Two Hundred (with 200 seats), founded in 1526.[2] Members of the canton's executive, the Conseil d'Etat, are elected a month later.

Grand Council of Geneva
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
President
Jean-Marie Voumard (MCG)
14 May 2019
1st Vice-president
François Lefort (Greens)
14 May 2019
2nd Vice-president
Salima Moyard (PS)
14 May 2019
Structure
Political groups
Elections
Party-list proportional representation
Last election
15 April 2018
Next election
2023
Meeting place
Town Hall of Geneva

There is a 7% threshold that political parties wishing to be represented on the Grand Council must overcome. Seven parties did so at the most recent election, held on 15 April 2018.

In 2018, on a lower turnout compared with 2013, right-wing populists lost previous gains, with the traditionally dominant parties, the Liberals, the Social Democrats and the Greens, increasing their votes.

Summary of the 15 April 2018 Geneva Grand Council election results
Party Ideology Vote % Vote % ± Seats Seats ±
PLR.The Liberal-Radicals (PLR) Classical liberalism 25.18 +2.81 28 +4
Socialist Party (PS) Democratic socialism 15.30 +0.97 17 +2
Greens (PES) Green politics 13.16 +4.00 15 +5
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) Christian democracy 10.71 +0.11 12 +1
Geneva Citizens' Movement (MCG) Right-wing populism 9.43 −9.80 11 −9
Together Left (EAG)1 Communism 7.83 −0.92 9 0
Democratic Union of the Centre (UDC) National conservatism 7.32 −3.02 8 −3
Geneva Forward 4.10 +4.10 0 0
Women's List 2018 3.26 +3.26 0 0
Green Liberal Party Green liberalism 1.60 −1.46 0 0
Equality and Equity 0.88 +0.88 0 0
List for Geneva 0.71 +0.71 0 0
Conservative Democratic Party Conservative liberalism 0.52 −0.04 0 0
Total 100.00  – 100  –
Turnout 38.77 2.28 Decrease  –  –
1 Alliance of SolidaritéS, Swiss Party of Labour, left-wing independents, Defence of the Elderly, Tenants of Housing and Social (DAL), Alternative Left,
   the Communist Party of Geneva, and Action of Citizens and Workers in Struggle (ACTE)
Source: Republic and Canton of Geneva

Secretary

The office of the secretary of the Grand Council of Geneva is headed by the sautier; originally, the role of the sautier was military, and he was the head of the watch. Overtime, the function changed and the sautier became the permanent secretary of the Grand Council.

One of his duties include the regular observation of the Geneva official chestnut tree, and the recording of the date of the opening of the first leaf on an official register. This event is then announced to the press and to the general public, indicating the beginning of the Spring.

References
  1. "Archives de la République et Canton de Genève", first section, Councils
  2. "Histoire de Genève" Archived 22 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Helvetia-genevensis Society.
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