Grand Council (Thurgau)
The Grand Council of the Canton of Thurgau is the Parliament of the Canton of Thurgau . It usually meets once every two weeks on a Wednesday morning; in the months of April to September in the Frauenfeld town hall , in the months of October to March in the Weinfelden town hall . It is the canton's legislative and supreme supervisory authority. Its 130 members are elected for four years using proportional representation , the last time being on March 15, 2020.
tasks
The Thurgau canton's constitution regulates the powers of the Grand Council in Articles 34 ff. It is therefore the legislative and supreme supervisory authority in the canton, consists of 130 members and is elected for four years.
The Grand Council elects the president, his deputy (vice-president) and four tellers from among its members. These represent the office of the Grand Council. The Grand Council also elects the President of the Government Council and his deputy from the five-member government council for a period of one year. The holder of the office of the President of the Government Council cannot be re-elected in the following year (Art. 38). Furthermore, the Grand Council elects the presidents, members and substitute members of the cantonal courts and the public prosecutor.
The Grand Council adopts laws and changes or repeals them, which requires two consultations (Art. 36).
Laws or resolutions on international treaties and concordats must be submitted to the people for a vote if requested by 30 members of the Grand Council. On the other hand, an optional vote can be brought about by means of a referendum if at least 2,000 voters request this within three months (Art. 22).
The state accounts and the draft budget are approved by the Grand Council (Art. 39).
In decisions on the canton's new financial obligations, the Grand Council is entitled to freely decide on one-off expenses of up to CHF 1 million or recurring expenses of up to CHF 200,000. Above these limits there is the possibility of submitting decisions made by the Grand Council to a referendum by means of an optional referendum; 2000 voters must request this within three months.
One-off new expenses of more than 3 million francs or new recurring expenses of more than 600,000 francs must in principle be approved by referendum (Art. 23).
A constitutional or legislative amendment can also be requested by popular initiative, which is addressed to the Grand Council either as a suggestion or as a drafted proposal. At least 4,000 voters must agree to such an initiative within six months (Art. 26).
In contrast to many other cantonal parliaments, voting in the Grand Council of Thurgau does not take place electronically, but by standing up. In the case of a roll-call vote calling out the name, the vote is cast sitting down (Art. 32 of the Grand Council's rules of procedure).
In the event of a tie, the President's voting behavior decides in open votes; should the latter abstain from voting, he casts the casting vote. In the case of secret votes, a tie will be considered a rejection.
Parties
The distribution of seats between the parties after the Grand Council elections from 1950 to 2020 is shown below.
Source:
Election fraud in the Grand Council elections on March 15, 2020
After the Green Liberal Party found a discrepancy between the ballot papers counted and the routing slip notes in the constituency of Frauenfeld , it filed an appeal against the election result. The State Chancellery had the ballot papers counted and filed criminal charges for election manipulation . Due to the investigation, a seat on the Grand Council was not granted for the time being. The public prosecutor's office announced in June 2020 that between 86 and 99 GLP ballot papers had been destroyed and replaced by SVP ballot papers . The Grand Council unanimously recognized the correction of the election result. Compared to the provisional election result, the SVP thus lost one seat to the GLP.
Members
eligibility
Article 29 of the cantonal constitution stipulates that no one may belong to its direct supervisory authority. In addition, members of the government council, the higher court, the administrative court, the compulsory measures court and the appeals committee are not allowed to belong to the grand council.
Article 4 of the law on the right to vote and suffrage stipulates that a person elected by the people can only exercise an office if they are domiciled in the official territory.
Number and distribution among the constituencies
The constituencies are congruent with the districts of the canton of Thurgau. In the 2008 Grand Council election, the number of districts was still eight. As a result of the administrative reform that came into effect on January 1, 2011, the number of districts was reduced to five from 2012.
The government council distributes the mandates to the districts. The decisive factor is the resident population according to cantonal statistics at the end of the third calendar year of the current term of office (Art. 36 Law on Voting and Electoral Rights).
The previous distribution to the old eight districts was as follows:
district | Number of representatives |
---|---|
Arbon | 21st |
Bischofszell | 17th |
Diessenhofen | 4th |
Frauenfeld | 25th |
Kreuzlingen | 18th |
Münchwilen | 21st |
Steckborn | 10 |
Weinfelden | 14th |
Since 2012, the distribution of mandates to the five districts has been in effect for the Grand Council elections; for the 2016 elections, the following allocation applied:
district | Number of representatives |
---|---|
Arbon | 27 |
Frauenfeld | 32 |
Kreuzlingen | 23 |
Münchwilen | 22nd |
Weinfelden | 26th |
compensation
Compensation for MPs is regulated by decree. The decree of April 9, 2008 currently applies.
According to this, MPs receive CHF 150 for meetings of the Grand Council, the parliamentary groups, and the Council Office that take half a day. Full-day meetings are compensated for CHF 250. A half-day rate of CHF 200 and a full-day rate of CHF 300 applies to committee meetings. Members who chair meetings receive double the attendance fee.
In addition, the President of the Grand Council receives a lump sum of CHF 12,000 per year, the Vice-President CHF 1,500.
The parliamentary groups also receive CHF 5,000 annually, plus CHF 300 per member. If a cantonal vote takes place, each parliamentary group receives an additional compensation of 5,000 SFr.
In return, members who do not belong to any parliamentary group receive a flat rate of CHF 500 per year.
Members of the Grand Council
The official name for the individual members of the Great Council is Canton councilor and cantonal parliament .
Status: April 20, 2015, valid until the end of April 2016
Surname | Political party | place of residence | Election year | function |
---|---|---|---|---|
Inge Abegglen | SP | Arbon | 2008 | Teller |
Wolfgang Ackerknecht | EPP | Frauenfeld | 2006 | member |
Margrit Aerne | SVP | Lanterswil | 2000 | member |
Clemens Albrecht | SVP | Eschlikon | 2008 | member |
Hansjürg Altwegg | SVP | Sulgen | 2007 | member |
Max Arnold | SVP | Weiningen | 2004 | Vice-President of the Grand Council |
Jakob Auer | SP | Arbon | 2013 | member |
Rudolf Bear | EPP | Kreuzlingen | 2002 | member |
Ruedi Bartel | SVP | Balterswil | 2012 | member |
Kurt Baumann | SVP | Sirnach | 2004 | member |
Markus Berner | BDP | Amriswil | 2012 | member |
Joos Bernhard | CVP | Sulgen | 2010 | Group President (CVP / GLP) |
David Blatter | SVP | Kreuzlingen | 2008 | member |
Maja Bodenmann | CVP | Diessenhofen | 2014 | member |
David H. Bon | FDP | Romanshorn | 2010 | member |
Thomas Bornhauser | FDP | Weinfelden | 2012 | member |
Cäcilia Bosshard-Galmarini | CVP | Wilen (Gotthaus) | 2002 | member |
Josef Brägger | Green | Amriswil | 2010 | member |
Renate Bruggmann | SP | Kradolf | 2000 | member |
Konrad Brühwiler | SVP | Frasnacht | 2008 | Vote counter |
Hansjörg Brunner | FDP | Wallenwil | 2012 | member |
Max Brunner | SVP | Weinfelden | 1992 | member |
Urban Brütsch | CVP | Diessenhofen | 2013 | member |
Peter Dransfeld | SP | Ermatingen | 2012 | member |
Kurt Egger | Green | Eschlikon | 2012 | member |
Armin Eugster | CVP | Bürglen | 1994 | member |
Daniel Eugster | FDP | Arbon | 2014 | member |
Dieter Feuerle | Green | Arbon | 2013 | member |
Hans Feuz | CVP / GLP | Altnau | 2012 | member |
Ulrich Fisch | CVP / GLP | Ottoberg | 2012 | member |
Alex Frei | CVP | Eschlikon | 2010 | member |
Daniel Frischknecht | EDU | Romanshorn | 2008 | member |
Hanspeter Gantenbein | SVP | Wuppenau | 2004 | member |
Stefan Geiges | CVP / GLP | Frauenfeld | 2012 | member |
Josef Gemperle | CVP | Fischingen | 2004 | member |
Roman Giuliani | SP | Diessenhofen | 2010 | member |
Heidi Grau-Lanz | FDP | Zihlschlacht | 2004 | member |
Hans-Peter Grunder | BDP | Fruthwilen | 2012 | member |
Viktor Gschwend | FDP | Neukirch (Egnach) | 2013 | member |
René Gubler | SVP | Frauenfeld | 2008 | member |
Peter Gubser | SP | Arbon | 2000 | member |
Andreas Guhl | BDP | Oppikon | 2012 | Group President (BDP) |
Marianne Guhl | SP | Steckborn | 2012 | member |
Aliye Gul | SP | Romanshorn | 2012 | member |
Diana Gutjahr | SVP | Amriswil | 2012 | member |
Hansjörg Haller | EPP | Hauptwil | 2014 | member |
Guido Häni | SVP | Dettighofen | 2004 | member |
Brigitta Hartmann | Green | Weinfelden | 2004 | member |
Ruedi Heim | CVP / glp | Aadorf | 2013 | member |
Columban Helfenberger | BDP | Tuttwil | 2012 | member |
Felix Heller | SP | Arbon | 2012 | member |
Hermann Hess | FDP | Amriswil | 2012 | member |
Roland A. Huber | BDP | Frauenfeld | 2012 | member |
Patrick Hug | CVP | Arbon | 2008 | member |
Walter Hugentober | SP | Matzingen | 2000 | member |
Erwin Imhof | SVP | Bottigh furnace | 2004 | member |
Helen Jordi | EDU | Bischofszell | 2008 | member |
Toni Kappeler | GP | Münchwilen | 2009 | member |
Christa Kaufmann | CVP | Bichelsee | 2010 | member |
Barbara Kern | SP | Kreuzlingen | 2004 | member |
Walter Knöpfli | SVP | Kesswil | 2004 | member |
Christian Koch | SP | Matzingen | 2010 | member |
Paul Koch | SP | Matzingen | 2012 | member |
Cornelia Komposch | SP | Herdern | 2004 | Group President (SP) |
Esther Kuhn | CVP / GLP | Mammers | 2012 | member |
Reto Lagler | CVP | Ermatingen | 2014 | member |
Hermann Lei | SVP | Frauenfeld | 2008 | member |
Stefan Leuthold | CVP / GLP | Frauenfeld | 2012 | member |
Ralph Limoncelli | CVP | Frauenfeld | 2014 | member |
Bruno Lüscher | FDP | Aadorf | 2004 | member |
Christian Mader | EDU / EPP | Frauenfeld | 2012 | member |
Marlise Marazzi-Egloff | FDP | Kreuzlingen | 2011 | member |
Urs Martin | SVP | Romanshorn | 2008 | member |
Walter Marty | SVP | Ellighausen | 2006 | member |
Robert Meyer | GLP | Eschlikon | 2000 | member |
Max Möckli | FDP | Schlatt | 2004 | member |
Barbara Mueller | SP | Ettenhausen | 2012 | member |
Gallus Müller | CVP | Guntershausen | 2000 | member |
Ulrich Müller | CVP | Weinfelden | 2000 | member |
Willy Nägeli | SVP | Upper cheeks | 1996 | member |
Ueli Oswald | FDP | Berlingen | 2010 | member |
Carlo Parolari | FDP | Frauenfeld | 2004 | Parliamentary group president (FDP) |
Beat Pretali | FDP | Altnau | 2010 | member |
Marianne Raschle | CVP / GLP | Kreuzlingen | 2012 | member |
Elisabeth Rickenbach | EPP | Thundorf | 2014 | member |
Jost Rüegg | Green | Kreuzlingen | 2013 | member |
Regina Rüetschi-Fischer | Green | Frauenfeld | 2011 | member |
Matthias Rutishauser | SVP | Lengwil | 2012 | member |
Martin Salvisberg | SVP | Amriswil | 2012 | member |
Erich Schaffer | SVP | Pfyn | 2013 | member |
Turi Schallenberg | SP | Bürglen | 2005 | member |
Marcel Schenker | SVP | Frauenfeld | 2000 | member |
Fabienne Schnyder-Cerny | SVP | Zuben | 2006 | member |
Urs Schrepfer | SVP | Busswil | 2012 | member |
Brigitte Schönholzer | SVP | Riedt near alders | 2004 | Council Secretary |
Walter Schönholzer | FDP | Neukirch an der Thur | 2009 | member |
Norbert Senn | CVP | Romanshorn | 2001 | member |
Klemenz Somm | CVP / GLP | Kreuzlingen | 2012 | member |
Doris Günter | EPP | Winches | 2014 | member |
Walter Strupler | SVP | Weinfelden | 2008 | member |
Martin Stuber | SVP | Ermatingen | 2004 | member |
Moritz Tanner | SVP | Winches | 2000 | member |
Thomas Thalmann | SVP | Güttingen | 2010 | member |
Marion Theler | Green | Bottigh furnace | 2004 | Teller |
Gisela Theus | SP | Kreuzlingen | 2014 | member |
Christa Thorner-Dreher | SP | Frauenfeld | 2002 | member |
Stephan Tobler | SVP | Neukirch (Egnach) | 1996 | Group President (SVP) |
Hans Trachsel | EDU / EPP | Amriswil | 2012 | member |
Daniel Vetterli | SVP | Rheinklingen | 2008 | member |
Kristiane Vietze | FDP | Frauenfeld | 2012 | member |
Max Vögeli | FDP | Weinfelden | 1992 | member |
Andrea Vonlanthen | SVP | Arbon | 2000 | member |
Hans-Peter Wägeli | SVP | book | 2011 | member |
Hanspeter Wehrle | FDP | Münchwilen | 2010 | member |
Willy Weibel | CVP | Balterswil | 2000 | Council Secretary |
Juerg Wiesli | CVP / GLP | Dozwil | 2012 | member |
Sonja Wiesmann Schätzle | SP | Wigoltingen | 2005 | President of the Grand Council |
Katharina Winiger | Green | Frauenfeld | 2004 | Group President (Greens) |
Andreas Wirth | SVP | Frauenfeld | 2008 | member |
Daniel Wittwer | EDU | Sitterdorf | 2000 | Group President (EDU / EPP) |
Edith Wohlfender-Oertig | SP | Kreuzlingen | 2007 | member |
Iwan Wüst-Singer | EDU / EPP | Tuttwil | 2012 | member |
Robert Zahnd | SVP | Frauenfeld | 1996 | member |
Vico Zahnd | SVP | Saint Margarethen | 2008 | member |
Ruedi Zbinden | SVP | Mettlen | 2008 | member |
Astrid Ziegler | CVP | Birwinken | 2012 | member |
David Zimmermann | SVP | Braunau | 2008 | member |
Andreas Zuber | SVP | Märstetten | 2008 | member |
Käthi Zürcher | CVP / GLP | Romanshorn | 2012 | member |
Fritz doubt | FDP | Joking | 2004 | Vote counter |
On August 15, 2012, Astrid Ziegler succeeded Thomas Merz, who stepped down from his position on July 31, 2012.
On October 1, 2012, Marianne Guhl was sworn in as the successor to Sibylle Kaufmann, who had resigned from her position on September 13, 2012.
On January 9, 2013 Viktor Geschwend was sworn in as the successor to Gabi Badertscher.
At the meeting on March 13, 2013, Ruedi Heim succeeded the resigned Roland Kuttruff and Erich Schaffer succeeded the resigned Verena Herzog. Both were already members of the Grand Council until May 2012, but had missed re-entry in the 2012 elections.
Dieter Feuerle was sworn in on June 12, 2013, taking over from Silvia Schwyter.
On August 14, 2013, Jakob Auer succeeded Heinz Herzog.
On September 11, 2013, Jost Rüegg was sworn in as the successor to Kathrin Erni.
Monika Weber resigned from the Grand Council on September 30, 2013. Her successor Urban Brütsch made his official vows on October 23, 2013.
Regula Fahrtisen submitted her resignation as of December 31, 2013 at the end of November 2013. Her successor Doris Günter from Winden took her official vows on January 22nd, 2014.
Carmen Haag resigned as a councilor after she was elected to the government council. Her successor was Ralph Limoncelli, who took his official vows on March 12, 2014.
Anina Wulf resigned at the end of March 2014; Her successor was Gisela Theus, who was sworn in on April 23, 2014.
At the meeting on June 18, 2014, three new members were sworn in: Elisabeth Rickenbach for Matthias Müller, Daniel Eugster for Hans Munz and Reto Lagler for Christian Lohr.
At the end of July 2014 Elsbeth Aepli Stettler resigned. Her successor Maja Bodenmann was sworn in on August 13, 2014.
Urs-Peter Beerli resigned at the end of October 2014. His successor Hansjörg Haller was sworn in on November 5, 2014.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Grand Council elections 2020: GP and glp gain party strength in almost all Thurgau municipalities. State Chancellery of the Canton of Thurgau, accessed on July 12, 2020 .
- ^ Constitution of the Canton of Thurgau
- ↑ Rules of Procedure of the Grand Council ( Memento of the original dated August 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 153 kB)
- ↑ Canton Thurgau: national and cantonal elections since 1919. Federal Statistical Office, January 18, 2017, accessed on March 4, 2020 .
- ↑ Suspected manipulation: State Chancellery files criminal complaint. SRG SSR , April 1, 2020, accessed on July 12, 2020 .
- ^ Thurgau's Grand Council corrects electoral fraud. TOP Online , July 1, 2020, accessed on July 12, 2020 .
- ↑ Law on voting and election rights ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Result of the Grand Council election April 6, 2008 ( Memento of the original from August 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Grand Council elections 2016: Distribution of the Grand Council's mandates to the districts (PDF) ( Memento of the original from April 22, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed April 22, 2016
- ↑ Resolution of the Grand Council on the compensation of its members and the parliamentary groups ( Memento of the original from February 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 76 kB)
- ↑ Minutes of October 23, 2013, p. 14 ( Memento of the original of January 10, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF)