| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Bundesversammlung - Assemblée fédérale - Assemblea federale / Federal Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Ständerat - Conseil des Etats - Consiglio degli Stati / Council of States |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Nationalrat - Conseil national - Consiglio nazionale / National Council
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 21 October 2007
25 November 2007 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the Council of States on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
On 21 October 2007
elections were held for all 200 seats in the National Council and 41 of the 46 seats in the Council of States (see note).
In the previous elections held in 2003
the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC)
personified by the charismatic billionaire Mr. Christoph Blocher
came in first with 55 seats in the National Council
followed by the Socialist Party (SP/PS) with 52 seats. The Radical-Democratic Party (FDP/PRD)
the Christian-Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC)
and the Green Party (GPS/PES) won 36
28
and 13 seats respectively. The remainder went to small parties. These main parties
except for the GPS/PES
also gained seats in the Council of States. The CVP/PDC came in first with 15 seats
followed by the FDP/PRD with 14 seats. The SP/PS and the SVP/UDC took nine and eight seats respectively.
In 2007
3
089 candidates
including 1
088 women (up from 993 in the last elections in 2003)
contested the elections to the National Council
while 130 candidates
including 32 women (up from 26)
ran for the Council of States.
The SVP/UDC has moreover taken up its usual discourse of cutting taxes
keeping Switzerland out of the European Union and addressing the issue of exploitation of the country's social and asylum policies. The election campaign was marked by an SVP/UDC poster showing a black sheep being kicked out of Switzerland by three white sheep.
Other parties also used their traditional election platforms
with the Socialists (SP/PS) calling for social security and solidarity
the Radical Democrats (FDP/PRD) urging further economic growth based on creativity and efficiency and the Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC) pledging to ensure job opportunities. The Greens (GPS/PES) campaigned for combating climate change
calling for a ban on air shows in the country and the introduction of a jet fuel surcharge. Due to a series of national disasters that have hit the country in recent years
environmental issues reportedly attracted the attention of many citizens.
In all
48.28 per cent of the country's 4.9 million eligible voters turned out at the polls
marking the highest turnout figure since 1983.
In the elections to the National Council
the SVP/UDC and the GPS/PES made the biggest gains (seven seats each)
bringing their seats to 62 and 20 respectively. The SVP/UDC obtained the largest share of seats in this chamber since the country's proportional voting system started in 1919. The CVP/PDC also added three seats to its tally
winning 31 in all. On the contrary
the SP/PS
which took 43 seats
suffered a major defeat
losing nine. The FDP/PRD also lost five
winning 31 seats. The remainder went to small parties. In all
59 women were elected to the National Council. A 45-year-old lawyer
Mr. Ricardo Lumengo
of Angolan origin (Socialist Party)
was elected to the National Council
becoming the first black person to enter the Swiss Parliament.
In the elections to the Council of States
29 (including six women) of the 41 members were elected in the first round. The CVP/PDC came in first with eight seats
followed by the FDP/PRD and the SVP/UDC with seven seats each. The SP/PS took six seats. The GPS/PES won its first seat in this chamber. After the first round
other candidates withdrew in favour of the second leading candidate in the cantons of Fribourg and Valais. Run-off elections were thus held in six cantons for a total of ten seats.
The final results gave the CVP/PDC 12 seats
followed by the FDP/PRD with 10. The SP/PS and the SVP/UDC took nine and seven seats respectively. The GPS/PES and another Green party
the Zurich Liberal Green Party (GLP/PEL)
took two and one seat each.
The newly elected parliament held its first session on 3 December. The National Council elected Mr. André Bugnon (SVP/UDC) as its new Speaker
while the Council of States elected Mr. Christoffel Brändli (SVP/UDC) as its new President.
On 12 December
the parliament voted to elect the seven members of the Federal Council (government) for a four-year term. Since 1959
the Federal Council has comprised representatives of the four major parties: the SVP/UDC
the PS/SP
the FDP/PRD and the CVP/PDC. In a surprise move
the most influential SVP/UDC member
Christoph Blocher
was not re-elected
the Federal Assembly having chosen a woman SVP/UDC member over him. Following that decision
the SVP/UDC placed itself on the opposition benches and expelled its two representatives from the SVP/UDC parliamentary group. The two members
however
still sit on the Federal Council as SVP/UDC members.
Note on the "Distribution of Seats (Council of States)"
"Others" refer to the five seats in the Council of States which were decided prior to the general election date:
The following half-cantons had elected their representatives prior to this date.
Zoug: Two male representatives (one each from the CVP/PDC and the FDP/PRD) elected on 29 October 2006.
Appenzell Rhodes-Int: one male representative (CVP/PDC) elected on 29 April 2007 through "Landsgemeinde" (cantonal assembly of citizens).
Nidwald: one male representative (CVP/PDC) elected tacitly on 4 September 2007.
Obwald: one male representative (FDP/PRD) elected tacitly on 24 September 2007.
The representatives from Zoug and Appenzell Rhodes-Int had been sworn before the 2007 general elections. They will take up their posts until the next general elections
scheduled for 2010.
Election results for the second round
Neuchâtel (two seats): SP/PS 1
FDP/PRD 1
Tessin (two seats): FDP/PRD 1
CVP/PDC 1
Vaud (two seats): SP/PS 1
GPS/PES 1
Lucerne (one seat): CVP/PDC 1
Saint-Gall (two Seats): CVP/PDC 1
FDP/PRD 1
Zurich (one seat): GLP/PEL 1 |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 21 October 2007 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Round no 2 (from/to) | 11 November 2007
25 November 2007 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Total 1st & 2nd |
Others |
Grand total |
Number of women |
| Christian-Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Party (SP/PS) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Radical-Democratic Party (FDP/PRD) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Green Party (GPS/PES) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Zurich Liberal Green Party (GLP/PEL) |
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round no 2
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Total 1st & 2nd |
Others |
Grand total |
Number of women |
| Radical-Democratic Party (FDP/PRD) |
3
|
10 |
2 |
12 |
3 |
| Christian-Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) |
3
|
12 |
3 |
15 |
1 |
| Socialist Party (SP/PS) |
2
|
9 |
0 |
9 |
5 |
| Zurich Liberal Green Party (GLP/PEL) |
1
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Green Party (GPS/PES) |
1
|
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) |
0
|
7 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
36
10
21.74%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
|
2
6
24
14
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
| Legal professions |
15 |
| Professions related to political activities |
7 |
| Unknown |
5 |
| Consultants (including real estate agents) |
4 |
| Entrepreneurs |
4 |
| Educators |
3 |
| Civil/public servants/administrators (including social/development workers) |
2 |
| Media-related professions (journalists/publishers) |
2 |
| Farmers/agricultural workers (including wine growers) |
1 |
| Medical professions (doctors
dentists
nurses) |
1 |
| Business/trade/industry employees
including executives |
1 |
| Bankers (including invest bankers)/accountants |
1 |
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.politik-stat.ch/srw2007CH_fr.html
- Federal Assembly (22.02.2008) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
