Swiss federal election, 2015

Swiss federal election, 2015
Switzerland
18 October 2015

All 200 seats in the National Council (101 seats needed for a majority)
All 46 seats in the Council of States (24 seats needed for a majority)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Toni Brunner Christian Levrat Philipp Müller
Party Swiss People's Social Democrats FDP.The Liberals
Leader since 1 March 2008 1 March 2008 21 April 2012
Leader's seat St. Gallen Fribourg Aargau
Last election 54+5 seats, 26.6% 46+11, 18.7% 31+11 seats, 15.1%
Seats before 54 + 5 46 + 11 31 + 11
Seats won 65 + 5 43 + 12 33 + 13
Seat change Increase11 Decrease2 Increase4
Percentage 29.4% 18.8% 16.4%
Swing Increase2.8pp [1] Increase0.1pp [2] Increase1.3pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Christophe Darbellay Adèle Thorens (defeated) and Regula Rytz Martin Bäumle
Party Christian Democrats Greens Green Liberals
Leader since 2 September 2006 21 April 2012 20 July 2007
Leader's seat Valais Vaud (Thorens)
Bern (Rytz)
Zürich
Last election 28+13, 12.3% 15+2, 8.4% 12+2, 5.4%
Seats before 29 + 13 15 + 2 12 + 2
Seats won 27 + 13 11 + 1 7 + 0
Seat change Decrease 2 Decrease 5 Decrease 7
Percentage 11.6% 7.1% 4.6%
Swing Decrease0.7pp Decrease1.3pp Decrease0.8pp

  Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party
 
Leader Martin Landolt Marianne Streiff Attilio Bignasca
Party Conservative Democrats Evangelical People's Lega
Leader since 5 May 2012 5 April 2014 7 March 2013
Leader's seat Glarus Bern Ticino
Last election 9+1 seats, 5.4% 2+0, 2.0% 2+0, 0.8%
Seats before 9 + 1 2 + 0 2 + 0
Seats won 7 + 1 2 + 0 2 + 0
Seat change Decrease 2 Steady Steady
Percentage 4.1% 1.9% 1.0%
Swing Decrease1.3pp Decrease0.1pp Increase0.2pp

Map of Swiss cantons shaded by the party that won the most votes in elections to the National Council

– SVP/UDC – CVP/PDC – FDP/PLR
– SPS/PSS – BDP/PBD – CSP/PCS

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 18 October 2015 for the National Council and the first round of elections to the Council of States. Provisional results[3] show a shift, due to voter concerns regarding refugee immigration, to the right and increased support for the three largest parties, with the strong showing of Swiss People's Party and FDP.The Liberals possibly affecting future reforms of energy, social security and tax issues, as well as the make-up of the seven-member government.[4] The Swiss People's Party won a record number of seats, taking a third of the 200-seat lower house.

The federal election was followed by the 2015 Swiss Federal Council election on December 9, 2015, where the SVP won a second seat on the Federal Council.[5]

Electoral system

The 200 members of the National Council were elected by plurality in five single-member constituencies, and by proportional representation in 21 multi-member constituencies, with the 26 constituencies being the 26 cantons. The elections were held using the open list system where voters could cross out names on party lists, with voters also able to split their vote between parties (a system known as panachage) or draw up their own list on a blank ballot. Seats are allocated using the Hagenbach-Bischoff system.[6]

The 46 members of the Council of States were elected in 20 two-seat constituencies (representing the 20 full cantons) and six single-member constituencies (representing the six half-cantons). In Jura and Neuchâtel the elections were held using proportional representation, whilst the other 24 use the majority system.[7]

Compulsory voting was in force in the canton of Schaffhausen for both elections.[8]

Campaign

The parties contesting the elections were:

Political party Leader Political spectrum
Swiss People's Party (SVP) Toni Brunner Right-wing
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP) Christian Levrat Centre-left to Left-wing
FDP.The Liberals (FDP) Philipp Müller Centre-right
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland (CVP/PDC) Christophe Darbellay Centre to Centre-right
Green Party of Switzerland (GPS) Adèle Thorens, Regula Rytz Left-wing
Green Liberal Party of Switzerland (glp) Martin Bäumle Centre
Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland (BDP) Martin Landolt Centre-right
Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland (EVP) Marianne Streiff Centre
Ticino League (TL) Attilio Bignasca Right-wing
Alternative Left (AL) Frédéric Charpié Left-wing
Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU) Hans Moser Right-wing
Christian Social Party (Switzerland) (CSP) Marius Achermann Centre-left
Geneva Citizens' Movement (MCG) Roger Golay Right-wing

Opinion polls

DateInstitution SVP SPS FDP CVP GPS BDP GLP EVP AL EDU LEGA CSP MCG Other Lead
18 October 20152015 Elections29.4% 18.8% 16.4% 11.6% 7.1% 4.1% 4.6% 1.9% 1.2% 1.2% 1.0% 0.2% 0.3% 10.6%
2 October 2015Sotomo/20min 29.0% 18.4% 15.8% 11.4% 7.4% 4.9% 5.2% 7.9% 10.6%
16 September 2015Sotomo/20min 29.0% 17.6% 16.8% 11.2% 6.9% 4.9% 5.1% 11.4%
21–28 August 15GfS Berne/SSR28.0% 19.3% 16.9% 11.1% 7.4% 4.2% 4.3% 1.7% 7.1% 8.7%
24 June 201520min/Somoto27.6% 18.2% 16.4% 12.0% 6.8% 4.9% 5.0% 13.0% 9.4%
24 June 2015GfS Berne/SSR26.1% 19.3% 17.1% 11.5% 7.4% 4.4% 4.8% 1.9% 1.1% 0.9% 5.5% 6.8%
31 March 2015GfS Berne/SSR26.2% 19.6% 16.3% 11.8% 7.5% 4.6% 5.6% 1.9% 1.0% 0.8% 4.7% 6.5%
21 December 2014Léger Marketing/Le Matin23.8% 19.8% 15.7% 12.4% 8.2% 7.2% 7.4% 6.0%
3 October 2014GfS Berne/Le Temps24.6% 20.1% 15.8% 11.2% 7.3% 4.8% 7.3% 1.8% 1.4% 1% 4.7% 4.5%
30 March 2014Léger Marketing/Le Matin25% 19.4% 15.2% 12.2% 7.4% 6.9% 6.6% 5.6%
27 September 2013GfS Berne/SSR 25.8% 18.7% 14.7% 11.7% 8.3% 7.5% 5.8% 1.8% 1.2% 1.0% 1.0% 2.5% 7.1%
15 September 2013Isopublic/Le Matin 24.3% 19.6% 14.1% 13.1% 7.3% 6.1% 6.6% 4.7%
21 October 2012Isopublic/Blick23.7% 19.5% 15.9% 12.9% 8.2% 6.9% 7.0% 4.2%
16 September 2012Isopublic/Le Matin23.9% 19.3% 16.3% 13% 8.2% 6.2% 7.7% 4.6%
25 March 2012Isopublic/Le Matin23.7% 19.9% 15.8% 12.1% 8.2% 7.0% 7.5% 3.8%
23 October 20112011 Elections26.6% 18.7% 15.1% 12.3% 8.4% 5.4% 5.4% 2% 0.9% 1.3% 0.8% 0.3% 0.4% 7.9%

Results

Global media commented on the gains of the Swiss People's Party, linking it to concerns of the electorate on the European migrant crisis.[9][10][11][12]

In the Swiss capital Bern, a group of activists in favour of settling refugees held a demonstration on the day of the election, which is prohibited by law. A total of 110 were arrested.[13]

National Council

Party Votes % +/– Seats % +/–
Swiss People's Party740,96729.4+2.86532.5+11
Social Democratic Party475,07118.8+0.14321.5−3
FDP.The Liberals413,44416.4+1.33316.5+3
Christian Democratic People's Party293,65311.6−0.72713.5−1
Green Party177,9447.1−1.3115.5−4
Green Liberal Party116,6414.6−0.873.5−5
Conservative Democratic Party103,4764.1−1.373.5−2
Evangelical People's Party 1.9−0.121.00
Federal Democratic Union 1.2−0.100
Alternative Left 1.2+0.300
Ticino League 1.0+0.221.00
Solidarity 0.5+0.200
Swiss Party of Labour 0.4–0.110.5+1
Geneva Citizens' Movement 0.3−0.110.50
Christian Social Party 0.2−0.100
Swiss Democrats 0.1–0.100
Others 2.4+0.210.50
Total 10002001000
Registered voters/turnout5,295,50648.4
Source: Statistics Switzerland, Elections 2015, IFES

Council of States

Party Seats
2011 2015 +/–
Christian Democratic People's Party13130
FDP.The Liberals1113+2
Social Democratic Party1112+1
Swiss People's Party550
Green Party21−1
Conservative Democratic Party110
Green Liberal Party20−2
Independent110
Total46460
Source: Statistics Switzerland
Canton Seat 1 Party Seat 2 Party
Zurich Daniel Jositsch Social Democratic Party Ruedi Noser FDP.The Liberals
Bern Werner Luginbühl* Conservative Democratic Party Hans Stöckli* Social Democratic Party
Lucerne Konrad Graber* Christian Democratic People's Party Damian Müller FDP.The Liberals
Uri Isidor Baumann* Christian Democratic People's Party Josef Dittli FDP.The Liberals
Schwyz Peter Föhn* Swiss People's Party Alex Kuprecht* Swiss People's Party
Obwalden Hans Wicki FDP.The Liberals N/A
Nidwalden Erich Ettlin Christian Democratic People's Party N/A
Glarus Thomas Hefti FDP.The Liberals Werner Hösli Swiss People's Party
Zug Joachim Eder* FDP.The Liberals Peter Hegglin Christian Democratic People's Party
Fribourg Christian Levrat* Social Democratic Party Beat Vonlanthen Christian Democratic People's Party
Solothurn Pirmin Bischof* Christian Democratic People's Party Roberto Zanetti* Social Democratic Party
Basel-Stadt Anita Fetz* Social Democratic Party N/A
Basel-Landschaft Claude Janiak* Social Democratic Party N/A
Schaffhausen Hannes Germann* Swiss People's Party Thomas Minder* Independent
Appenzell Ausserrhoden Andrea Caroni FDP.The Liberals N/A
Appenzell Innerrhoden Ivo Bischofberger* Christian Democratic People's Party N/A
St. Gallen Karin Keller-Sutter* FDP.The Liberals Paul Rechsteiner* Social Democratic Party
Graubünden Stefan Engler* Christian Democratic People's Party Martin Schmid* FDP.The Liberals
Aargau Pascale Bruderer* Social Democratic Party Philipp Müller FDP.The Liberals
Thurgau Roland Eberle* Swiss People's Party Brigitte Häberli-Koller* Christian Democratic People's Party
Ticino Fabio Abate* FDP.The Liberals Filippo Lombardi* Christian Democratic People's Party
Vaud Olivier Français FDP.The Liberals Géraldine Savary* Social Democratic Party
Valais Jean-René Fournier* Christian Democratic People's Party Beat Rieder Christian Democratic People's Party
Neuchâtel Didier Berberat* Social Democratic Party Raphaël Comte* FDP.The Liberals
Geneva Robert Cramer* Green Party Liliane Maury Pasquier* Social Democratic Party
Jura Claude Hêche* Social Democratic Party Anne Seydoux-Christe* Christian Democratic People's Party
* indicates a candidate that was re-elected. Source: Statistics Switzerland

Aftermath

The 2015 federal election was followed by the 2015 Swiss Federal Council election on December 9, 2015.[5]

Due to the results of the federal election, Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a member of the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP), announced she would not run for re-election, as the Swiss People's Party (SVP) won a record percentage of the vote, while her own party decreased its share.[14] The SVP was widely expected to fill her seat in the election, and it chose Thomas Aeschi (Zug), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Norman Gobbi (Ticino) as candidates for the seat, with Aeschi being the favorite at the time.[15][16]

Guy Parmelin, of the SVP, was ultimately elected on December 9.[5] Parmelin, a farmer and winegrower from Bursins in canton Vaud, was the first member of the Federal Council who is also a member of the Swiss People's Party from the French-speaking part of Switzerland.[5][17]

There was a minor cabinet reshuffle after the election, as newly elected Parmelin was selected to become head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, replacing fellow SVP-member Ueli Maurer, who will become head of the Federal Department of Finance.[18] The SVP gained its second seat in the Federal Council, which it had lost in 2008, when the newly created BDP slit from the SVP.

References

  1. Geiser, Urs. "Parliament shifts to the right". swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  2. "Election 2015 results in graphics". Swiss Info (CH). Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  3. "Homepage Elections 2015". Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  4. Geiser, Urs. "Parliament shifts to the right". Swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mombelli, Armando (December 10, 2015). "People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  6. Electoral system IPU
  7. Electoral system IPU
  8. Compulsory voting around the world The Electoral Commission
  9. "Anti-immigration party wins Swiss election in 'slide to the Right'". The Daily Telegraph. Reuters. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  10. "Anti-immigration SVP wins Swiss election in big swing to right". BBC News. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  11. Larson, Nina (19 October 2015). "Swiss parliament shifts to right in vote dominated by migrant fears". Yahoo!. AFP. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  12. "Amid rising fears over refugees, far-right party gains ground in Swiss election". Deutsche Welle. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  13. "Polizei nimmt 110 Personen auf die Wache" [Police take 110 people to the police station]. Blick (in German). 18 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  14. Jaberg, Samuel; Stephens, Thomas (October 28, 2015). "Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to Stand Down". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  15. "People's Party Posts Candidates for Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. November 20, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  16. "People's Party Tightens Grip on Second Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. October 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  17. Bradley, Simon (December 10, 2015). "Wary Press Split Over Farmer Parmelin". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  18. "People's Party finally nails finance minister job". Swissinfo. December 11, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
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