To provide a relay having simple construction for smoothing the operation of movable contacts to contact/leave fixed contacts while reducing power consumption.

The relay includes the fixed contacts 1, 1 to be connected to an electric circuit, a swinging member 3 supported rockingly around its partial supporting axis 30 to contact/leave the fixed contacts 1, 1, the movable contacts 4, 4 provided on the swinging member 3 for contacting the fixed contacts 1, 1, and an electromagnet 8 having an iron core 6 and a coil 7 for generating repulsive force between a permanent magnet 5 and itself to swing the swinging member 3 so that the movable contacts 4, 4 provided on the swinging member 3 leave the fixed contacts 1, 1, and for generating the attractive force between the iron core 6 of the electromagnet 8 and the permanent magnet 5 to swing the swinging member 3 so that the movable contacts 4, 4 contact the fixed contacts 1, 1. Thus, it has simple construction for smoothing the contacting/leaving operation while reducing power consumption.