Free Democratic Party of Switzerland

FDP. The Liberals
German name FDP. Die Liberalen
French name PLR. Les Libéraux-Radicaux
Italian name PLR. I Liberali
Romansh name PLD. Ils Liberals
President Fulvio Pelli
Members of the Federal Council Didier Burkhalter and Hans-Rudolf Merz
Founded 2009 (1894/1913)
Headquarters Neuengasse 20
Postfach 6136
CH-3001 Berne
Ideology Classical liberalism,
Radicalism
International affiliation Liberal International
European affiliation European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
Official colours Blue
Website
www.fdp.ch
Politics of Switzerland
Political parties
Elections
Swiss Federal Council
Federal Chancellor
Federal Assembly
Council of States (members)
National Council (members)
Voting

The Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, officially named FDP.The Liberals  (German: FDP.Die Liberalen, French: PLR.Les Libéraux-Radicaux, Italian: PLR.I Liberali, Romansh: PLD.Ils Liberals), is a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It is the joint-largest party in the Federal Council, third-largest party in the National Council, and second-largest in the Council of States.

The FDP was formed on 28 February 2009, after two parties, the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (founded 1894) and the smaller Liberal Party of Switzerland (founded 1913), united. In Geneva, Vaud, and Valais, the parties retain separate organisations. Its youth organisation is Young Liberals. The FDP has more members than any other Swiss party.

The party is a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. The party's president is Fulvio Pelli. The current FDP representatives in the Federal Council are Didier Burkhalter and Hans-Rudolf Merz.

Contents

History

The elements liberal, radical and "free-thinking" (German freisinnig) in the party's name originate from the conflicts during the period of Restauration between the Catholic-conservative cantons and the liberal cantons that led to the foundation of the Swiss federal state in 1848 after the victory of the Protestant-liberal cantons.

The liberal cantons had defeated the Catholic cantons, and from 1848 until 1891, the Federal Council was composed entirely of FDP members. The "Radical Party" of the restoration was progressive compared to the conservative Catholic Conservative Party, and it was not until the rise of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland in the early 20th century that the FDP found itself on the right side of the Swiss political center.

After the federal election 2003 FDP and LPS formed a common faction in the Federal Assembly. In June 2005 they strengthened their cooperation by founding Radical and Liberal Union[1]

Party Platform

As a classical liberal party, the FDP's goal is to promote freedom and self-responsibility in the society and economy. It calls for tolerance among different opinions and identities. The FDP upholds entrepreneurship, social responsibility, and democracy based on popular participation and the rule of law.

The party is of the opinion that an open society and economic liberalism promoting economic competition guarantees more prosperity and socioeconomic stability than a redistributive state. It wants more freedom of choice rather than restrictions in public life, which goes along with more self-responsibility, and competition.

The FDP stands for a society of opportunities along with flexible decision-making in education, the labor market, family services, and property ownership. It works toward ensuring that more, and better jobs are created and it also works toward ensuring that the social welfare system is secure. This encompasses the stabilization of costs in the health care system, and working against abuse of the social welfare system, which forms the basis for intergenerational equity. It sees labor as the most important resource of Switzerland, and thus aims at investing in education, and research and development, which would support innovation.

The party supports an easy tax code and low taxes along with tax competition among the cantons of Switzerland. It also supports a state without excessive bureaucracy and over-regulation which hampers economic progress. It aims at economic efficiency by keeping government intervention to a minimum. It also aims at lowering the budget deficits and the national debt by lowering government spending. It prefers tax cuts as economic incentives to subsidies. In the aftermath of the recent economic recession, the party sees the need for further economic and tax policy reforms. The main goals of the party's energy policy is to secure the allocation of energy and to raise the energy efficiency. The party supports more efficient energy sources and research and development, which don't emit CO2. Nevertheless, the party is against carbon emissions taxes.

The party wants to support the neutrality, federalism, direct democracy, and tax sovereignty of Switzerland. National security shall be credibly guaranteed by strong militia. The party stands for an "open Switzerland," which makes use of the opportunities that globalization offers. The FDP upholds strong cooperation between Switzerland and the EU in terms of bilateral treaties. The immigrant policy of the party is based on mandatory integration, and consequent punishment in the event of an abuse of immigrant rights. The FDP supports an active peace-supporting policy which increases the security of Switzerland while at the same time preventing the formation of refugee streams.

Popular support

In 2003, it held 36 mandates (out of 200) in the Swiss National Council (first chamber of the Swiss parliament); 14 (out of 46) in the second chamber and 2 out of 7 mandates in the Swiss Federal Council (executive body). By 2005, it held 27,2% of the seats in the Swiss Cantonal governments and 19,7% in the Swiss Cantonal parliaments (index "BADAC", weighted with the population and number of seats). At the last legislative elections, 22 October 2007, the party won 15.6 % of the popular vote and 31 out of 200 seats.[2]

Presidents

The presidents of the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland:

The presidents of the Liberal Party of Switzerland:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New alliance counters left-right polarisation - swissinfo". http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/swissinfo.html?siteSect=881&sid=5899597. 
  2. ↑ "Nationalrat 2007". http://www.politik-stat.ch/nrw2007CH_de.html. 

External links

Political parties in Switzerland Switzerland
Major parties
Swiss People's Party · Social Democratic Party · FDP.The Liberals · Christian Democratic People's Party · Green Party · Conservative Democrats
Minor parties
Alternative List · Christian Social Party · Federal Democratic Union · Green Liberal Party · Evangelical People's Party · Freedom Party · Geneva Citizens' Movement · Pirate Party · Ticino League · Swiss Party of Labour · Swiss Democrats · solidaritéS
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