Elections in Switzerland

Switzerland

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Politics and government of
Switzerland



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Elections in Switzerland gives information on election and election results in Switzerland.

Switzerland elects on national level a head of state - the Federal Council - and a legislature. The Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung/Assemblée fédérale/Asamblea Federale/Assemblea Federala) has two chambers. The National Council (Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale/Cussegl Naziunal) has 200 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies, the cantons. The Council of States (Ständerat/Conseil des Etats/Consiglio degli Stati/Cussegl dals Stadis) has 46 members, elected for four years in 20 multi-seat and 6 single-seat constituencies which are equal to the 26 cantons and half-cantons. One of the members of the Federal Council assumes the honorific title of President of the Confederation for a one-year term. Switzerland has a multi-party system with numerous parties. A world-unique characteristic of Switzerland is that all the executives, from federal to municipal level, are elected by proportional representation: in this way political parties are automatically put in coalition governments.

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Federal elections

Latest elections

e • d Summary of the 21 October 2007 National Council of Switzerland election results
Parties Abbr. Ideology Votes  % +/– Seats +/–
Swiss People's Party SVP/UDC National conservatism 672,562 28.9 +2.2 62 +7
Social Democratic Party SPS/PSS Social democracy 451,916 19.5 –3.8 43 –9
Free Democratic Party FDP/PLR Classical liberalism, Radicalism 364,736 15.8 –1.3 31 –5
Christian Democratic People's Party CVP/PDC Christian democracy 335,623 14.5 +0.1 31 +3
Green Party GPS/PES Green politics 222,206 9.6 +2.2 20 +7
Liberal Party LPS/PLS Classical liberalism 41,682 1.9 –0.3 4 ±0
Green Liberal Party GLP/PVL Green liberalism 33,104 1.4 N/A 3 N/A
Evangelical People's Party EVP/PEV Christian democracy 56,748 2.4 +0.1 2 –1
Federal Democratic Union EDU/UDF Christian right 29,914 1.3 ±0.0 1 –1
Party of Labour PdA/PST-POP Communism 17,218 0.7 ±0.0 1 –1
Ticino League LdT National conservatism 13,031 0.6 +0.2 1 ±0
Christian Social Party CSP/PCS Christian left 9,984 0.4 ±0.0 1 ±0
Swiss Democrats SD/DS Nationalism 12,609 0.5 –0.5 0 –1
solidaritéS Sol Socialism 8,669 0.4 –0.1 0 –1
Alternative List AL Socialism 4,582 0.2 –0.3 0 ±0
Others 43,327 1.8 +0.2 0 ±0
Total (turnout 48.9%) 2,317,911 200
Source: http://www.politik-stat.ch/nrw2007CH_de.html
e • d Summary of the 21 October, 11 November, 18 November and 25 November 2007 Council of States of Switzerland election results
Parties Ideology 2003 Seats ±
Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) Christian democracy 15 15 ±0
Free Democratic Party (FDP/PRD) Classical liberalism 14 12 –2
Social Democratic Party (SPS/PSS) Social democracy 9 9 ±0
Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) National conservatism 8 7 –1
Green Party (GPS/PES) Green politics 0 2 +2
Green Liberal Party (GLP/VL) Green liberalism 0 1 +1
Total 46 46
Source: http://www.politik-stat.ch/srw2007CH_de.html

Past elections and referendums

See also

External links