Mniejszości narodowe w ramach szwajcarskiego systemu politycznego

In Switzerland national minorities might be divided essentially into traditional and socalled „new” minorities. New minorities were formed as a result of immigration in the last half-century. The role of the Swiss national minorities in the political system of this country is connected to the special conditions of Swiss direct democracy, which directly determines the status of minorities in the country. The impact of Swiss policy, especially the popular initiative and referendum on the regulations relating to minorities, has not been fully researched in the literature. The purpose of this article is to analyse the status of minorities, primarily non-Christians, in Switzerland, and to show how these minorities relate to elements of Swiss direct democracy.