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) @1@ 2

↑ 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.@1@ 2
↑ 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. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.tg.ch
↑ 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 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.tg.ch

↑ 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) @1@ 2

↑ 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) @1@ 2

[1] 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 .

[2] Constitution of the Canton of Thurgau