Christian Social Party (Switzerland)

Christian Social Party
German name Christlich-soziale Partei (CSP)
French name Parti chrétien-social (PCS)
Italian name Partito Cristiano Sociale (PCS)
Romansh name Partida cristiansociala de la Svizra (PCS)
President Marius Achermann
Members of the Federal Council None
Founded 21 June 1997
Headquarters Eichenstrasse 79
3184 Wünnewil
Membership  (2011) 1,500[1]
Ideology Christian left
Social democracy
Christian socialism
Political position Centre-left
International affiliation None
European affiliation None
Colours Turquoise
National Council
1 / 200
Council of States
0 / 46
Cantonal legislatures
15 / 2,608
Website
www.csp-pcs.ch

Politics of Switzerland
Political parties
Elections


Swiss Federal Council
Federal Chancellor
Federal Assembly
Council of States (members)
National Council (members)
Voting

The Christian Social Party (German: Christlich-soziale Partei; French: Parti chrétien-social) is a political party in Switzerland. The CSP is more social democratic than the CVP. With the moderate Christian left as its background, the CSP commits itself to social democratic and environmentalist political solutions. The core principles of the CSP contain, among others "solidarity with the socially and economically disadvantaged and the preservation of the environment."

Electoral power

The CSP only has one seat on the federal scale in the National Council of Switzerland, the lower house, and has always been representing the canton of Fribourg. Following the 2011 federal election, the CSP seat comes from the canton of Obwalden.

On a cantonal level, the CSP has many elected members, mainly in the Roman Catholic cantons of Valais, Fribourg, Obwalden and Jura. In the latter, the CSP had until late 2010 one elected member in the Executive body, the Conseil d'Etat of the Republic of Jura.

In the National Council of Switzerland, the party was part of the parliamentary group of the Greens until 2011, but has since been part of the Christian-Evangelical group together with CVP/PDC/PPD and EVP.

Orientation

The CSP is a center-left political party and has strong environmentalist views. It also has social values and aims for taxing richer people. On a societal point of view, it has very liberal views and acts in favour of abortion rights, same-sex relationships and euthanasia, which differs strongly with other common Christian political parties, which traditionally are conservative.

See also

References

  1. Der Bund kurz erklärt (in German). Swiss Confederation. 2011. p. 21.

External links