The present invention relates to a switching device for medium voltage electric power distribution installations. The device comprises one or more fixed contacts and one or more movable contacts, eachmovable contact being reversibly movable between an opening position, at which said movable contact is decoupled from a corresponding fixed contact, and a closing position, at which said movable contact is coupled with the corresponding fixed contact; an electromagnetic actuator adapted to actuate said movable contacts between said opening and closing positions, said electromagnetic actuator comprising a fixed yoke and a movable armature operatively associated with said fixed yoke to form a magnetic circuit, said movable armature being reversibly movable between a first position, which corresponds to the opening position of said movable contacts, and a second position, which corresponds to the closing position of said movable contacts; a kinematic chain to operatively connect said movablearmature with said movable contacts. Said electromagnetic actuator comprises a first excitation coil and a second excitation coil wound around said fixed yoke. Said switching device further comprisesa first power drive circuit adapted to provide a first excitation current to said first excitation coil and a second power drive circuit adapted to provide a second excitation current to said secondexcitation coil. Said first and second power drive circuits are galvanically separated one from another and capable of operating independently one from another.