Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden

The Landsgemeinde ("cantonal assembly"; German: [ˈlantsɡəˌmaɪndə], plural Landsgemeinden) is a public, non-secret ballot voting system operating by majority rule. Still in use – in a few places – at the subnational political level in Switzerland, it was formerly practiced in eight cantons. For practical reasons , the Landsgemeinde has been abolished at the cantonal level in all but two cantons where it still holds the highest political authority: Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. The Landsgemeinde is also convened in some districts of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Grisons and Schwyz to vote on local questions.

The German term Landsgemeinde itself is attested from at least the 16th century, in the 1561 dictionary of Pictorius.It is a compound from Land "land, canton; rural canton" and Gemeinde "community, commune".

Eastern Switzerland (German: Ostschweiz, French: Suisse orientale, Romansh: Svizra orientala, Italian: Svizzera orientale) is the common name of the region situated to the east of Glarus Alps, with the cantons of Schaffhausen, Thurgau, St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, and Glarus. The north of canton of Grisons (Graubünden), with the city of Chur, is usually considered to be part of Eastern Switzerland as well.

Eastern Switzerland is also defined as one of the NUTS-2 regions of Switzerland. In this case, it includes the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Glarus, Grisons, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen, and Thurgau.