Ever since the Swiss Confederation made its way onto the internet, it has provided up-to-date information there about polls, initiatives and referendums. The Federal Chancellery and Parliamentary Services together were the first bodies in the Federal Administration to have an online presence. Legislative documents have also been available online since the launch in the autumn of 1995. At the time, the producers of the platform stressed: “We’re not starting with a Rolls Royce.”
Official Switzerland has therefore been present online since the early days. Indeed, only about a quarter of the Swiss population had internet access at that time. The Swiss Confederation was extremely keen to have a multilingual website from the very outset. This is also reflected in the fact that the domain name – www.admin.ch – includes an abbreviation that is recognisable in all the country’s national languages.
The Swiss Confederation’s website has been expanded and modernised constantly since 1995. Today it boasts a uniform online image and includes the portals of all the major authorities, providing access to a wealth of useful information.
The Swiss Confederation’s webpages can also help Swiss people abroad in many ways. Travellers can consult the FDFA’s travel advice and register on Itineris. The “Living abroad” tab on the FDFA’s site provides the Swiss Abroad with legal regulations about their rights and obligations, practical tips – for instance, about electronic voting – and interesting information about the Swiss political system and political developments. Since 2016, the Swiss Abroad have also had access to an online desk on the homepage of the FDFA’s site. This enables you to take advantage of numerous consular services such as registering with Swiss embassies and consulates, and providing notice of changes in address and marital status, etc. independently and from anywhere around the globe.
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