List of political parties in Switzerland
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This is a list of political parties in Switzerland.
Switzerland has a multi-party system. Since 1959, the four largest parties have formed a coalition government, according to a Zauberformel or "magic formula". This arithmetic formula divides the seven cabinet seats among representatives of the four largest parties.[1]
Political parties in Switzerland[]
Federal and cantonal parliaments[]
The following parties are represented either in the Swiss Federal Assembly as of March 2016[2] or in cantonal parliaments and executive councils. For their names in the 4 national languages of Switzerland, see #Names in the national languages below.
For more detailed information on the political positions of some of the parties listed below, see here:[3] For Swiss political party strength on the municipal level, see here:[4]
Party | Members in | Political ideology | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abbr. | Name | W | Leader | FC | CS | NC | C exec. | C leg. | Members | ||
SVP/UDC | Swiss People's Party | [1] | Marco Chiesa | 2 | 5 | 65 | 23 | 590 | 90,000 (2015)[5] | Right-wing, National conservatism, Economic liberalism | |
SPS/PSS | Social Democratic Party | [2] | Christian Levrat | 2 | 12 | 43 | 28 | 459 | 30,000 (2015)[5] | Centre-left to Left-wing, Social democracy | |
FDP/PLR | FDP.The Liberals | [3] | Petra Gössi | 2 | 13 | 33 | 42[a] | 557[b] | 120,000 (2015)[5] | Centre-right, Classical liberalism, Conservative liberalism | |
CVP/PDC/PPD | The Centre | [4] | Gerhard Pfister | 1 | 13 | 28 | 44 | 501 | - | Centre to Centre-right, Christian democracy | |
GPS/PES | Green Party | [5] | Regula Rytz | 0 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 176 | 7,500 (2015)[5] | Left-wing, Green politics | |
GLP/PVL | Green Liberal Party | [6] | Martin Bäumle | 0 | 0 | 7 | 85 | 3,800 (2015)[5] | Centrism, Green liberalism | ||
EVP/PEV | Evangelical People's Party | [7] | Marianne Streiff | 0 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 4,600 (2015)[5] | Centre to Centre-left, Christian democracy | ||
Lega | Ticino League | [8] | Attilio Bignasca | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 1,500 (2015)[5] | Right-wing, Regionalism (TI) | |
MCG | Geneva Citizens' Movement | [9] | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1,500 (2015)[5] | Right-wing, Regionalism (GE) | ||
PdA/PST | Swiss Party of Labour | [10] | Norberto Crivelli | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | Left-wing[6] to Far-left, Socialism, Communism, Marxism | |||
CSP OW | Christian Social Party of Obwalden | [11] | Sepp Stalder |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 250 (2015)[5] | Centre-left, Christian left | |
CSP/PCS | Christian Social Party | [12] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1,500 (2011)[7] | Centre-left, Christian left | ||
EDU/UDF | Federal Democratic Union | [13] | Hans Moser | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3,000 (2011)[7] | Right-wing, Christian right | ||
AL | Alternative Left | [14] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2,000 (2011)[7] | Left-wing, Democratic socialism | |||
Total | 7 | 46* | 200 | 154[c][8] | 2609[d][9] |
Minor parties[]
The following groups or parties are not represented at either the cantonal or national level (but may hold positions in municipal parliaments).
Abbr. | Name | W | Leader | Ideology | Founded | Popular vote[e] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sol | Solidarity | [15] | Far-left, Anti-capitalism | 1992 | 0.05% (2015) | ||
SLB/MSL | Social Liberal Movement | [16] | Samuel Schmid | Centre-right, Social conservatism | 2011 | 0.1% (2015) | |
SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | [17] | Bernhard Hess | Right-wing, National conservatism | 1961 | 0.1% (2015) | |
FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | [18] | Peter Commarmot | Right-wing, National liberalism | 1984 | n/a | |
HPS/PHS | Swiss Humanist Party | [19] | Daniel Horowitz | Humanist Movement | 1984 | n/a | |
KVP | Catholic People's Party | [20] | Lukas Brühwiler-Frésey | Catholic social teaching | 1994 | n/a | |
PNOS | Swiss Nationalist Party | [21] | Dominic Lüthard | Far-right, Ethnic nationalism | 2000 | 0.05% | |
PPS | Pirate Party | [22] | Denis Simonet | Pirate politics, Liberalism | 2009 | 0.48% | |
TPS/PSpA | Tierpartei Schweiz | [23] | Thomas Märki | Animal rights | 2010 | 0.15% | |
Parteifrei | [24] | Lukas Harder | Voluntary association of independent politicians formed for the 2011 elections; opposing party politics | 2011 | 0.19% | ||
MontagnaViva | [25] | Germano Mattei | Regionalism (Alpine Ticino) | 2011 | 0.08% | ||
Alpenparlament | [26] | Alternative medicine | 2011 | 0.06% | |||
Konfessionslose | [27] | Separation of church and state | 2011 | 0.05% | |||
up! | The Swiss Independence Party up! | [28] | Simon Scherrer | Libertarianism | 2014 | n/a | |
[29] | Eric Weber | right-wing populism (Basel-Stadt) | 2002 | 0.03% | |||
La gauche combative | [30] | Communism (Geneva) | 2002 | 0.03% | |||
Les Rauraques | [31] | Jura separatism (Bernese Jura) | 2011 | 0.03% |
Historical parties[]
Name | Ideology | Active | Continued as | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Christian Democratic People's Party | Christian democracy, Social conservatism, | 1912–2020 | merged to The Centre | |
Communist Party of Switzerland | Communism | 1921–1940 | Swiss Party of Labour | |
Communist Party of Switzerland/Marxist–Leninists | Communism | 1969–1987 | ||
Communist Party Opposition | Communism | 1930–1935 | Social Democratic Party of Switzerland | |
Conservative Democratic Party | Centre to Centre-right, Conservative liberalism | 2008-2020 | merged to The Centre | |
Democratic Party | Direct democracy | 1860–1971 | merged to Swiss People's Party | |
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB) | Conservatism, Agrarianism | 1936–1971 | merged to Swiss People's Party | |
Eidgenössische Sammlung | Fascism | 1940–1943 | ||
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (FDP/PRD/PLR) | Classical liberalism, Radicalism | 1894–2009 | merged to FDP.The Liberals | |
Liberal Party of Switzerland (LPS/PLS) | Classical liberalism | 1913–2009 | merged to FDP.The Liberals | |
National Front | Fascism/nationalism | 1930s | Eidgenössische Sammlung | |
National Movement of Switzerland (NBS) | Nazism | 1940–1941 | ||
National Union | Fascism | 1932–1940 | ||
Progressive Organizations of Switzerland (POCH) | Communism | 1969–1993 | ||
Republican Movement | Right-wing populism, Christian right | 1971–1989 | ||
Ring of Independents (LdU) | Centrism | 1936–1999 | ||
Volkspartei der Schweiz (VPS) | Neo-Nazism | 1950s |
Names in the national languages[]
Abbr. | Party | German | French | Italian | Romansh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CVP/PDC | Christian Democratic People's Party | Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP | Parti Démocrate-Chrétien Suisse or PDC | Partito Popolare Democratico or PPD | Partida Cristian-democratica de la Svizra or PCD | |
FDP/PRD | Free Democratic Party | Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP | Parti radical-démocratique suisse or PRD | Partito Liberale Radicale or PLR | Partida liberaldemocrata de la Svizra or PLD | |
SPS/PSS | Social Democratic Party | Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP | Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS | Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS | Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS | |
SVP/UDC | Swiss People's Party | Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP | Union Démocratique du Centre or UDC | Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC | Partida Populara Svizra or PPS | |
CSP/PCS | Christian Social Party | Christlich-soziale Partei or CSP | Parti chrétien-social or PCS | Partito Cristiano Sociale or PCS | Partida cristiansociala de la Svizra or PCS | |
BDP/PBD | Conservative Democratic Party | Bürgerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP | Parti bourgeois démocratique Suisse or PBD | Partito borghese democratico Svizzera or PBD | Partida burgais democratica Svizra or PBD | |
EVP/PEV | Evangelical People's Party | Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP | Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV | Partito Evangelico or PE | Partida Evangelica Svizra or PEV | |
FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz or FPS | Parti Suisse de la Liberté or PSL | Partito svizzero della Libertà or PSL | Partida Svizra da la Libertad or PSL | |
GPS/PES | Green Party | Grüne Partei der Schweiz or Grüne | Parti Écologiste Suisse or Les Verts | Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi | Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda | |
LPS/PLS | Liberal Party | Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS | Parti libéral suisse or PLS | Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS | Partida liberal-conservativa Svizra or PLC | |
AL | Alternative Left | Alternative Linke or AL | La Gauche or LG | La Sinistra or LS | ||
SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | Schweizer Demokraten or SD | Démocrates Suisses or DS | Democratici Svizzeri or DS | Democrats Svizers or DS | |
Lega | Ticino League | Ligue des Tessinois | Lega dei Ticinesi | |||
EDU/UDF | Federal Democratic Union | Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union or EDU | Union Démocratique Fédérale or UDF | Unione Democratica Federale or UDF | Uniun democrata federala or UDF | |
PdA/PST | Swiss Party of Labour | Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdA | Parti suisse du travail – Parti Ouvrier et Populaire or PST-POP | Partito Comunista or PC | Partida svizra da la lavur or PSdL | |
GLP/PVL | Green Liberal Party | Grünliberale Partei der Schweiz or GLP | Parti vert'libéral or PVL | Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL | Partida Verda-Liberala or PVL | |
MCG | Geneva Citizens' Movement | Mouvement citoyens genevois | ||||
CSP OW | Christian Social Party of Obwalden | Christlichsoziale Partei Obwalden | ||||
Sol | Solidarity | Solidarität | solidaritéS | |||
SLB/MSL | Social Liberal Movement | Sozial-Liberale Bewegung | Mouvement socio-libéral | Movimento social-liberale | ||
SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | Schweizer Demokraten | Démocrates Suisses | Democratici Svizzeri | Democrats Svizers | |
FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz | Parti suisse de la liberté | Partito svizzero della Libertà | Partida Svizra da la Libertad | |
HPS/PHS | Humanistische Partei der Schweiz | Parti Humaniste de la Suisse | Partito Umanista della Svizzera | |||
KVP | Catholic People's Party | Katholische Volkspartei | Parti populaire catholique | Partito popolare Cattoliche | ||
PNOS | Swiss Nationalist Party | Partei National Orientierter Schweizer | Parti nationaliste suisse | Svizzero Partito Nazionalista | ||
PPS | Pirate Party | Piratenpartei Schweiz | Parti Pirate Suisse | Partito Pirata Svizzera | Partida da Pirats Svizra | |
TPS/PSpA | Tierpartei Schweiz | Tierpartei Schweiz or TPS | Parti suisse pour les animaux or PSpA | Partito svizzero per gli animali or PSpA | Partida svizra d'animals or PSA | |
up! | The Swiss Independence Party up! | Unabhängigkeitspartei up! | up! Switzerland |
Sources: The Swiss Federal Chancellery
Relative importance[]
At the federal level[]
Composition of the National Council by political party, 1919–2019
Composition of the Federal Council by political party, 1919–2017
Overall[]
Party | Number of elected representatives at the federal, cantonal and communal levels |
---|---|
FDP.The Liberals | 2,011
|
Social Democratic Party | 1,863
|
Swiss People's Party | 1,511
|
Christian Democratic Party | 1,205
|
Conservative Democratic Party | 173
|
See also[]
- Politics of Switzerland
- List of political parties by country
Notes[]
- ^ Including seats held by the Liberal Party of Switzerland which merged into FDP in 2009, but still retains separate party structure in some cantons
- ^ Including the Liberal Party
- ^ Cantonal executives As of August 2016, including one independent member of the Council of States (Thomas Minder).
- ^ Cantonal legislatures As of November 2016, including independents and small minor parties.
- ^ 2011 Swiss federal election, where applicable
References[]
- ^ Pierre Cormon, Swiss Politics for Complete Beginners, Editions Slatkine, 2014, ISBN 978-2-8321-0607-5, p. 31–32 Archived November 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Nationalratswahlen: Übersicht Schweiz". Federal Statistical Office. Archived from the original on 2015-10-20. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
- ^ "Swiss Political Parties Reveal Their Colours". Swissinfo. September 11, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
- ^ "Gemeindewahlen" (in German). Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "The Swiss Confederation — A Brief Guide" (PDF). Federal Chancellery. 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ Barbet, Denis; Bonhomme, Marc (2006). La politique mise au Net. ISBN 9782847880953.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Der Bund kurz erklärt (in German). Swiss Confederation. 2011. p. 21. Archived from the original on 2012-01-24.
- ^ "Kantonale Regierungswahlen" (in German). Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ "Kantonale Parlamentswahlen" (in German). Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ Kevin Gertsch; Chantal Tauxe (24 December 2014). "L'UDC n'est pas le premier parti de Suisse" [The UDC is not the largest party in Switzerland]. L'Hebdo. pp. 62–63.
Bibliography[]
- Pierre Cormon, Swiss Politics for Complete Beginners, Editions Slatkine, 2014. ISBN 978-2-8321-0607-5
External links[]
- Lists of political parties by country
- Political parties in Switzerland
- Politics of Switzerland
- Switzerland politics-related lists
- Lists of political parties in Europe
- Lists of organisations based in Switzerland