A switching device (1) for low or medium voltage electric power distribution networks, said switching device comprising: - at least an electric pole (2) comprising a movable contact (4) and a fixed contact (5), which are coupleable/decoupleable one to another; - a circuit assembly (6), which comprises a chain (60) of semiconductor devices (601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606) adapted to switch in an ON state or in an OFF state depending on the voltage applied thereto, said semiconductor devices being electrically connected in series one to another in such a way that a current can flow according to apredefined conduction direction (CD) when said semiconductor devices are in an ON state. The circuit assembly (6) comprises an input terminal (61), an output terminal (62) and at least an intermediateterminal (63) electrically connected with at least an intermediate electric node (64) positioned between two subsequent semiconductor devices (602, 603, 604, 605). The input terminal (61) is electrically connected with said fixed contact: The input terminal (61), the output terminal (62) and the at least an intermediate terminal (63) are electrically coupleable/decoupleable with/from said movablecontact (4) when said movable contact reaches different positions (P1, P2, P3, P4) during a movement towards/away from said fixed contact (5) in such a way that different groups (611, 612) of semiconductor devices switch in an ON state or in an OFF state at different instants (t2, t3, t4, t6, t7, t8) during the movement of said movable contact, depending on the position reached by said movable contact.