Eligibility for election

Eligibility for election, often called passive voting right, means the capacity to be elected or appointed to a public office. In Switzerland, the conditions depend on the level of government and the office concerned. They may include citizenship, age, residence, political rights, or rules on incompatibility and conflicts of interest. Eligibility complements the active right to vote but is not identical to it. Exclusions must have a legal basis, pursue legitimate institutional aims and respect equality and proportionality.