Page 42 - Bulletin, Vol.82 No.3, December 2023
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Ueli Ochsenbein – the founding father. Sur le champ de bataille aussi, Ulrich
Ochsenbein, military leader and head of Ochsenbein a su allier intelligence
the Radicals of Bern, was a tragic figure stratégique et humanité. Il a notamment
during the formation of the young federal convaincu ses soldats de ne pas réduire
state. After serving his two terms as Lucerne en cendres et d’épargner leurs
minister, the actual founding father of adversaires, car il savait que les
the 1848 constitution was voted out of perdants de la guerre ne le lui
office. The ruling Radicals turned their pardonneraient jamais. Plus rapidement
backs on him because he had supported que d’autres, Ochsenbein a compris que
the Radicals, Liberals and les éléments qui unissaient les
Conservatives in forming a political party adversaires de l’époque étaient bien
in canton Bern. After being dismissed plus forts que ceux qui les divisaient. »
from his post as military leader, he sunk
into oblivion and only recently has been The Constitution today: It took decades-
rehabilitated thanks to a comprehensive long political discussions and wrangling
biography. During the official celebration to make the Federal Constitution into a
of the 175 anniversary of the federal basic legal document applying to the
th
constitution in 2023, Ochsenbein majority of the country. It also required
regained his place in history and his role numerous adaptations and amendments
in the Constitution along with his vision, and two complete revisions. Along the
were acknowledged in the speech of the way, however, it was not only the
President of the Swiss Conféderation : Constitution that changed, but also – in
« Ulrich Ochsenbein, bras droit du a related manner – the form of
Général Dufour à la tête des troupes government. While the federal state was
confédérées, ne considérait pas la a representative democracy in 1848, it
politique comme une manière de became a direct democracy with the
continuer la guerre civile sur un autre introduction of the optional referendum
terrain. Bien au contraire. Il a perçu la in 1874 and the right to submit initiatives
possibilité d’instaurer un nouveau in 1891.
régime politique, dans lequel toutes et Women were also granted full civil
tous pourraient cohabiter. Un régime liberties in 1971, which meant that
construit sur de savants équilibres entre Switzerland's democracy doubled in size
protestants et catholiques, entre overnight. Just three years later, in
défenseurs du centralisme et partisans 1974, the development of fundamental
de la souveraineté cantonale. Un régime rights in Switzerland got a further boost
qui trouva dans l’introduction d’un with the ratification of the European
système bicaméral – une solution portée Convention on Human Rights, which
dès 1845 par Ochsenbein – la réponse has significantly influenced the
institutionnelle idéale pour réunir les administration of justice in Switzerland
parties autour d’un projet commun.
ever since. More recent fundamental
rights, such as the protection of privacy
and the right to a fair trial, were added to
the Federal Constitution when it was
completely revised in 1999.
AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 82 No.3, 2023-12 40
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