Winter session 2026: how to watch parliament in the Federal Palace

What is the winter session?

The Swiss parliament, the Federal Assembly, meets four times a year for three weeks in the Federal Palace (Bundeshaus) in Bern. These meetings are called sessions. The winter session 2026 runs from Monday, 30 November, to Friday, 18 December 2026. The National Council and the Council of States then debate laws and parliamentary proposals in their chambers.

By tradition, the United Federal Assembly, that is both chambers together, elects the President of the Confederation for the following year in December, during the winter session. In 2026 the election is on Wednesday, 9 December. The term always runs from 1 January to 31 December.

Watching from the gallery

During the session you can follow the debates and votes live from the public gallery. It is free. During the session, however, you can only enter the Federal Palace for a gallery visit. There are no guided tours of the building at this time.

Booking: There are seats for individual visitors too. You can book them online on the parliament's website, at the earliest one week before the session starts, so from 23 November. Booking by phone is not possible. Groups of 10 to 40 people also register online, free of charge.

ID: Bring an official ID, that is an identity card or passport. There is a security check at the entrance. Groups should arrive 30 minutes before the start. Allow enough time even if you come alone.

Entrance: The visitor entrance is on the Bundesterrasse side, at the back of the building facing the Aare. From the Bundesplatz, take the steps to the right or left of the building.

When are the debates?

The National Council usually sits on Monday from 2.30 pm, on Tuesday and Thursday from 8 am to 1 pm, and on Wednesday from 8 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm. The Council of States sits from Tuesday to Thursday from 8.15 am to 1 pm, and on Wednesday also from 3 pm to 7 pm. On Monday it only starts in the afternoon: at 4.15 pm in the first week and at 3.15 pm after that. The final votes take place on the Friday morning of the third week. The exact times are in the session programme that parliament publishes before the session. A sitting can also end early.

Good to know

Photos: Inside the building you may take photos without flash, but filming is not allowed. From the gallery, neither photos nor filming are allowed.

Languages: For the debates in the National Council there are free headphones with interpretation into German, French and Italian. Ask the security staff.

Wheelchair: Wheelchair users cannot follow the debates from the gallery. Parliament then shows them on a screen in another room. The entrance with a bell is on the Bundesplatz side. Parliament answers questions at sessionsbesuche@parl.admin.ch.

After the session: Outside the sessions there are free guided tours of the Federal Palace from Tuesday to Saturday, for example on Saturdays at 3 pm in German and at 4 pm in English. They last at most 60 minutes. Individuals book online, at the earliest three days ahead. Note: from 4 to 9 January and from 27 January to 2 February 2027 there are no tours because of building work in the National Council chamber.

Around the Bundesplatz

A few steps to the west, in the courtyard of the Federal Palace West wing on the Bundesgasse, stands the Berna Fountain with the figure of Berna. If you come in November, you can still see the Rendez-vous Bundesplatz in the evenings, the light show on the front, until 21 November. In December the Christmas markets in Bern are worth a visit. The sights in Bern show more places.

Sources: Parliamentary Services, Besuch während der Session, Wichtige Informationen für Besuche während der Sessionen, Führungen durchs Bundeshaus and the session dates on parlament.ch; Wikipedia, “Bundespräsident (Schweiz)”. Read on 6 November 2026. The parliament's website always applies.