Syndics of Geneva

The syndics of Geneva appear with the communal movement in the middle of the 13th century when the merchants and craftsmen gather to fight against the power seigneuriale of the bishop of Geneva. In 1309, the bishop Aymon de Quart must recognize the existence of the commune whose basic organization is the General advice in which the inhabitants take part and who elects the syndics. Later, they will be named by the Conseil of the Two hundred. Elected for one year, they are four. They exert in the name of the whole of the citizens the executive power through following competences:

the police force, the criminal Justice;

the defense of the city and businesses military;

monitoring of the hospital and the school, public works;

finances of the community.

Once elected, the syndics carry out the formation of their Council called also Petit the Council , ancestor of current the Council of State. The members of the Small Council are recruited among a restricted number families. The first syndic is the chief of the government.

Thereafter the syndics will designate the members of the councils.

This system of fitment of the councils and reciprocal co-optation gives the capacity to some and thus constitutes an elite patrician which holds the capacity. The fights will be numerous between the middle-class men of the General advice and the patricians of the councils: Small council, the Council of the Two hundred and the Council of the Sixty without mentioning the popular revolts against this Oligarchy.

This organization will disappear in December 1792 in the hoop nets caused by the French revolution.

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