In Switzerland, new principles in the federal constitution are being decided upon by the Parliament and the voting public after both chambers have consulted upon the matter. Later, these principles are being specified in the laws and ordinances.
Swiss federal laws can contradict the Swiss federal constitution. This means that the federal court cannot overrule laws issued by the Parliament on grounds of unconstitutionality. Hence, democracy weighs more than the constitutional state in Switzerland. This does, however, not account for the relationship between laws and ordinances to the cantonal constitutions.