Swiss order of precedence
The Swiss order of precedence is a hierarchy of important positions within the government of Switzerland. It has no legal standing but is used by ceremonial protocol.
The order of precedence is determined by the Protocol Regulations
and the Table of Precedence
of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Unless otherwise noted, precedence among persons of equal rank is determined by seniority. As a general rule, spouses share the same rank.
Table of precedence
| Color legend |
| Governments, Parliaments and Courts of the Confederation, Cantons and Communes |
| Diplomats |
| Armed forces |
| Federal administration |
| Religious and educational authorities |
| Rank | Position | Incumbent |
| 1 | President of the Confederation | Simonetta Sommaruga |
| 2 | Vice President of the Federal Council | Guy Parmelin |
| 3 | Federal Councillors | Ueli Maurer, Alain Berset, Ignazio Cassis, Viola Amherd Karin Keller-Sutter |
| 3 | Commanding General | vacant in time of peace |
| 4 | President of the National Council | Isabelle Moret |
| 5 | President of the Council of States | Hans Stöckli |
| 6 | Federal Chancellor | Walter Thurnherr |
| 7 | President of the Federal Supreme Court | Ulrich Meyer |
| 8 | Former Federal Councillors | see List of members of the Federal Council |
| 9 | Presidents of the cantonal governments | see List of cantonal executives |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | Vice Presidents of the National Council | Marina Carobbio Guscetti, Isabelle Moret |
| 11 | Vice Presidents of the Council of States | Jean-René Fournier, Géraldine Savary |
| 12 | Vice President of the Federal Supreme Court | Martha Niquille |
| 12 | Bishops | |
| 13 | Chief of the Armed Forces | Philippe Rebord |
| 13 | Secretaries of State | |
| 14 | Members of the National Council | see List of members of the National Council |
| 15 | Members of the Council of States | see List of members of the Council of States |
| 16 | Judges of the Federal Supreme Court | see List of judges of the Federal Supreme Court |
| 17 | President of the Federal Criminal Court | Tito Ponti |
| 18 | President of the Federal Administrative Court | Jean-Luc Baechler |
| 19 | President of the Federal Patent Court | Mark Schweizer |
| 20 | Heads of Swiss diplomatic missions | |
| 20 | Lieutenant Generals | |
| 20 | ||
| 20 | President of the Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology | Fritz Schiesser |
| 21 | Vice Presidents of the cantonal governments | see List of cantonal executives |
| 22 | Vice President of the Federal Criminal Court | Giuseppe Muschietti |
| 23 | Vice President of the Federal Administrative Court | Marianne Ryter |
| 24 | Vice President of the Federal Patent Court | Frank Schnyder |
| 25 | Members of the cantonal governments | see List of cantonal executives |
| 26 | Members of the Board of the Swiss National Bank | Fritz Zurbrügg, Andréa Maechler |
| 27 | Ambassadors | |
| 27 | Major Generals | |
| 27 | see Federal administration | |
| 28 | Mayor of Bern | Alec von Graffenried |
| 28 | Rectors of universities and equivalent establishments | |
| 29 | Presidents of cantonal legislatures | see List of cantonal legislatures |
| 29 | Brigadier Generals | |
| 29 | Deputy directors | |
| 30 | University deans and directors | |
| 31 | Presidents of the cantonal courts | |
| 31 | Deans of religious authorities | |
| 32 | Judges of the Federal Criminal Court | see List of judges of the Federal Criminal Court |
| 32 | Professors of universities and equivalent establishments | |
| 33 | Judges of the Federal Administrative Court | see List of judges of the Federal Administrative Court |
| 34 | Judges of the Federal Patent Court | see List of judges of the Federal Patent Court |
| 35 | Presidents of municipal executive authorities | |
| 36 | Chancellors of cantons | |
| 36 | Ministers | |
| 36 | Colonels | |
| 36 | Vice directors | |
| 37 | Members of cantonal legislatures | see List of cantonal legislatures |
| 38 | ||
| 38 | Lieutenant Colonels | |
| 39 | Majors | |
| 39 | Section heads | |
| 39 | Priests and Protestant Ministers | |
| 40 | Vicars |