What is an important task of the Confederation?
Was ist eine wichtige Aufgabe des Bundes?
Correct answer: C
- A It promotes the founding of associations.Er fördert die Gründung von Vereinen.
- B It supports the founding of companies.Er unterstützt die Gründung von Firmen.
- C It ensures internal and external security.Er sorgt für die innere und äussere Sicherheit.
- D It runs its own hospitals and clinics.Er unterhält eigene Spitäler und Kliniken.
Why
Protecting the whole country is a core task of the Confederation. For this it has, for example, the army and border control.
Common mistakes
- D: It runs its own hospitals and clinics.
- Hospitals are run by the cantons and municipalities, not by the Confederation.
- B: It supports the founding of companies.
- Companies are founded by private individuals. The Confederation only creates good general conditions for the economy.
Topic
In federalism each level has its own tasks. The Confederation only does what the Federal Constitution expressly allows it to do. These are mainly tasks that must be the same for the whole country. All other tasks belong to the cantons. The cantons pass some tasks on to the municipalities.
Confederation
1
Foreign policy · Monetary policy · Customs · Social security
Canton
26 = 20 + 6
Halbkanton: former name for the 6 cantons with only half a cantonal vote, for example Basel-Stadt.
Municipality
≈ 2,200 (2021)
What happens at the border or applies to the whole country (army, customs, foreign policy, franc) is done by the Confederation. What happens on your doorstep (school, police, water, fire service) is done by the canton and the municipality.
How the state works
Federalism: Confederation, cantons, municipalities
Sources
Last checked: September 2026
Question 53 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.