To provide an electrical switching device having a contact mechanism, and a movable actuator for switching the contact mechanism.

The contact mechanism resiliently preloads a sliding contact against a first fixed contact in a first switch position and against a second fixed contact in a second switch position. In the case of pressurization, the actuator moves the sliding contact mainly linearly from the first switch position to the second switch position. In the first switch position, the actuator adjoins to a snap-action element having a stable position. When switching over to the second switch position, the snap-action element actuates from its stable position to an instable position, and the snap-action element returns to the stable position upon completion of pressurization by means of the actuator.