A switching apparatus including one or more electric poles. For each electric pole, the switching apparatus includes a first pole terminal, a second pole terminal, a ground terminal, and a plurality of fixed contacts spaced apart one from another. For each electric pole, the switching apparatus further includes a movable contact and a vacuum interrupter. The movable contact is reversibly movable about a corresponding rotation axis. The vacuum interrupter includes a movable arc contact reversibly movable along a corresponding translation axis. For each electric pole, the switching apparatus further includes a motion transmission mechanism operatively coupled to a contact shaft solidly coupled to the movable arc contact. The motion transmission mechanism is actuatable by the movable contact to cause a movement of said movable arc contact along said translation axis, when said movable contact moves about said rotation axis.