Statute Text
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1Restrictions on fundamental rights must have a legal basis. Significant restrictions must have their basis in a federal act. The foregoing does not apply in cases of serious and immediate danger where no other course of action is possible.

2Restrictions on fundamental rights must be justified in the public interest or for the protection of the fundamental rights of others.

3Any restrictions on fundamental rights must be proportionate.

4The essence of fundamental rights is sacrosanct.

Overview

Art. 36 FC regulates when and under what conditions the state may interfere with the fundamental rights of citizens. The provision functions like a kind of «emergency brake» for state power. It protects against arbitrary interference with fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, the right to private life, or the guarantee of property.

Who is affected? All state authorities — from municipalities to the Confederation — must follow these rules. Also affected are all persons whose fundamental rights are to be restricted, whether through laws, ordinances, or individual decisions.

What does the provision require? Four strict conditions must be cumulatively (all together) fulfilled:

  1. Legal basis: Serious interference requires a formal law from Parliament. For a house search, an ordinance is not sufficient. Only in cases of acute danger may the state act without a law.

  2. Justification: A public interest (security, health, order) or the protection of other fundamental rights must justify the interference. Mere administrative convenience is not sufficient.

  3. Proportionality: The means must be suitable, necessary, and reasonable. A total ban on demonstrations would be disproportionate if conditions would suffice.

  4. Protection of the essential content: The absolute core of a fundamental right may never be touched. The prohibition of torture or the subsistence minimum are inviolable.

Practical example: If the police want to search an apartment, they need a legal basis (Criminal Procedure Code), a justified reason (suspicion of a criminal offense), proportionate means (not tear apart the entire apartment for a minor offense), and may not destroy the essential content of privacy.

The provision applies to all fundamental rights interferences — from traffic controls to tax laws. It is the most important instrument for protecting individual freedom in a constitutional state.