Society, General Knowledge for Vocational Schools (ABU), Vocabulary

alternative to a concept, for example, referendum or initiative

local government of a town or district; lowest administrative division (in Switzerland, the hierarchy is: federal government, canton, municipality)

institution that penalises infringements of law and settles disputes

the state is divided into three branches, each with separate and independent powers: legislative, executive, and judiciary

employees' association which represents employees' interests

set of rights that every person can claim (e.g. life, freedom and justice)

place, region or area, which one identifies as belonging to, for example, the place where people grow up

consciousness of the self (who am I?); qualities that make someone or something what they are and different from other people

the freedom to gather information from various sources without hindrance (e.g. Internet, television, newspapers)

people's right to initiate a procedure by which signatures are collected to propose constitutional amendment and compel a popular vote on its adoption

people's right to collect signatures to request an initiative on constitutional change (100,000 signatures within 18 months)

a Swiss member state; Switzerland has 23 cantons (20 whole and 6 half cantons)

changing a pre-printed ballot sheet to incorporate one name twice

a grid for positioning a person or a party based on their political beliefs

a group of persons advocating a particular cause, engaged in trying to influence legislators or other public officials in favour of that specific cause

election where the contender with the majority of votes is elected

modes of influencing or controlling someone without their knowledge to gain an advantage over them through their targeted action and conscious influence

communication of information, entertainment etc. that has a large audience and can influence public opinion

fundamental right guaranteed by the federal constitution, which guarantees the press free expression of opinion and the obtainment and distribution of information

the right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government

fundamental rights every human being is entitled to, independent of nationality, ethnicity, sex, language or religion

immigration and emigration of people, a segment or entire population groups in search of better livelihood

the larger of the two chambers of parliament in Switzerland; its 200 members represent the Swiss people

a non-governmental organisation which concerns itself with social and environmental issues (e.g. Greenpeace, Amnesty International)

right, to settle anywhere

independent assessment or judgment, description of a thing, an event or a fact by the observer or by the subject based on observable phenomena, uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices

a referendum that must be carried out (for constitutional amendments and if joining certain international organisations)

institution which is responsible for regulating vocational training

allows voters to distribute their votes between individual candidates from different party lists

parliament is a law-making body (legislative)

political association and important lobbyists

constitutional right to make a written requests or complaints to, or seek the assistance of, one's government without fear of punishment or reprisals

a task or responsibility to take a particular course of action to meet a particular social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise

subject and science dealing with the art of governance