Cantons of Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland The 26 cantons of Switzerland (, , , ) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the Waldstätte. Two further major steps in the development of the Swiss cantonal system are referred to by the terms "Acht Orte" ("Eight Cantons"; between 1353 and 1481) and "Dreizehn Orte" ("Thirteen Cantons",during 1513–1798); they were important intermediate periods of the Ancient Swiss Confederacy. Each canton, formerly also From 1833, there were 25 cantons, increasing to 26 after the
Law of Switzerland 2010 announced its intention to revert to the earlier system, and all large parties expressed at least partial support. Law of Switzerland Swiss law is a set of rules which constitutes the law in Switzerland. There is a hierarchy of political levels which reflects the legal and constitutional character of Switzerland. The Federal law (, , ) consist of the following parts: According to the current Federal Constitution (SR 101 Art. 1, 3) and the principle of subsidiarity (Switzerland) (SR 101 Art. 5a) and the "Title 3 Confederation, Cantons and Communes" (SR 101), the Cantons of Switzerland ""are sovereign except