The Liberals (Switzerland)
President | Thierry Burkart |
---|---|
Federal Councillors | |
Founded | 1 January 2009 |
Merger of | Free Democratic Party, Liberal Party |
Headquarters | Neuengasse 20 Postfach 6136 CH-3001 Bern |
Youth wing | Young Liberals |
Membership (2015) | 120,000[1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre[7] to centre-right[8] |
European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party |
International affiliation | Liberal International |
Colours | Azure |
Federal Council | 2 / 7 |
National Council | 28 / 200 |
Council of States | 11 / 46 |
Cantonal executives | 42 / 154 |
Cantonal legislatures | 557 / 2,609 |
Website | |
| |
FDP.The Liberals (German: FDP.Die Liberalen, French: PLR.Les Libéraux-Radicaux, lit. 'LRP.The Liberal-Radicals', Italian: PLR.I Liberali Radicali, Romansh: PLD.Ils Liberals) is a liberal political party in Switzerland. It is tied for the largest party in the Federal Council, is the third-largest party in the National Council and is the second-largest in the Council of States.
The party was formed on 1 January 2009, after two parties, the
The party is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) and an observer member of the Liberal International. The party's president is Petra Gössi. The current FDP representatives in the Federal Council are Ignazio Cassis and Karin Keller-Sutter.
History
The party was formed in 2009 from the merger of the
In the
Separate Free Democrat and Liberal branches remained in competition with each other in
Positions
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) |
As a classically liberal party, the FDP wants to protect civil liberties and individual responsibility. The FDP calls for mutual tolerance of people with different opinions and self-identities, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, the rule of law, and participatory democracy.
The party supports neutrality, federalism, direct democracy, and the tax sovereignty of each canton. It believes that national security should be credibly guaranteed by a skilled and strong militia. The party is for a "cosmopolitan Switzerland", which benefits from the opportunities that globalization provides. The FDP supports the close cooperation with the EU through bilateral treaties, but rejects accession to the EU. The immigration policy of the party is based on the integration of immigrants, requiring clear and effective rules by means of an "integration law". The FDP calls for consistent action against abuse of laws in Switzerland by immigrants, and in repeated cases calls for deporting foreign criminals in accordance with international law. The FDP supports a peaceful foreign policy, which increases the security of Switzerland and prevents an increasing number of refugees.[citation needed]
Economic policy
The party believes that an
The party stands for a simple tax code, low taxes, and for
Social policy
The FDP works toward a society offering genuine opportunities with flexible choices in education, work and family support. It is also aiming at more and better jobs, a sustainable
The party is, in principle, in favour of ending marijuana prohibition to encourage safe and legal free enterprise as opposed to a costly war on drugs;
The FDP supported making same-sex marriage legal in Switzerland. [17] They are also in favour of instituting civil unions as an alternative option to marriage for all couples (whether same-sex or opposite-sex). [18]
Foreign policy
The FDP opposes Swiss membership in the European Union, saying that Switzerland can only remain a world leader if it remains outside the EU.[19] It strongly supports the bilateral accords that Switzerland has with the EU, however.[20] In the 2001 referendum, the FDP campaigned against opening negotiations to join the EU.[21] The FDP believes that international law takes precedence over Swiss law, although it states that Swiss voters should approve international law before it takes effect.[20]
Election results
National Council
Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | 368,951 | 15.1 (#3) | 30 / 200
|
New |
2015 | 413,444 | 16.4 (#3) | 33 / 200
|
3 |
2019 | 366,303 | 15.1 (#3) | 29 / 200
|
4 |
2023 | 364,053 | 14.25 (#3) | 28 / 200
|
1 |
Party strength over time
Canton | 1971 | 1975 | 1979 | 1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Switzerland | 21.8 | 22.2 | 24.0 | 23.3 | 22.9 | 21.0 | 20.2 | 19.9 | 17.3 | 15.8 | 15.1 | 16.4 | 15.1 |
Zürich | 16.8 | 18.5 | 22.4 | 21.8 | 20.3 | 18.7 | 18.1 | 17.8 | 16.2 | 13.2 | 11.6 | 15.3 | 13.7 |
Bern | 17.3 | 17.6 | 18.0 | 15.1 | 16.1 | 13.7 | 15.6 | 17.2 | 14.8 | 15.1 | 8.7 | 9.3 | 8.4 |
Lucerne | 30.0 | 29.1 | 31.7 | 28.6 | 29.8 | 27.9 | 25.5 | 22.6 | 23.1 | 21.8 | 18.4 | 18.5 | 15.6 |
Uri | 95.2 | 76.0 | 39.0 | 84.7 | 85.5 | 93.2 | 86.0 | 81.7 | 36.6 | 87.3 | 74.3 | *a | *a |
Schwyz | 20.4 | 21.3 | 28.0 | 26.0 | 24.3 | 25.9 | 24.0 | 19.1 | 15.4 | 16.7 | 15.5 | 20.6 | 23.1 |
Obwalden | 32.5 | * | * | * | 30.4 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 11.6 |
Nidwalden | * | * | 39.0 | * | * | * | 48.1 | 90.4 | 88.5 | * | 35.2 | * | * |
Glarus | 42.4 | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Zug | * | 23.1 | 32.8 | 33.6 | 34.1 | 32.9 | 22.5 | 25.7 | 22.4 | 21.5 | 19.2 | 17.6 | 14.7 |
Fribourg | 24.7 | 22.1 | 23.0 | 20.0 | 16.7 | 16.1 | 15.9 | 14.8 | 12.8 | 13.8 | 12.8 | 14.2 | 15.4 |
Solothurn | 34.3 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 37.2 | 36.3 | 32.8 | 25.4 | 25.4 | 24.0 | 21.0 | 18.4 | 21.2 | 18.5 |
Basel-Stadt | 11.5 | 11.4 | 14.1 | 13.5 | 11.2 | 15.8 | 12.2 | 12.1 | 9.9 | 11.3 | 12.3c | 9.8c | 6.0c |
Basel-Landschaft | 23.0 | 23.9 | 26.7 | 25.1 | 22.0 | 24.8 | 19.6 | 22.1 | 19.9 | 17.0 | 11.5 | 15.8 | 16.5 |
Schaffhausen | 33.1 | 40.1 | 32.3 | 26.2 | 34.3 | 28.6 | 31.9 | 40.4 | 29.1 | 26.7 | 12.3 | 12.9 | 11.0 |
Appenzell A.Rh. | 62.6 | 45.8 | * | 36.0 | * | 30.8 | 36.4 | 32.8 | 41.1 | 72.0 | 51.5 | 33.6 | 48.4 |
Appenzell I.Rh. | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
St. Gallen | 23.6 | 25.1 | 27.6 | 27.5 | 24.0 | 20.0 | 17.0 | 16.9 | 14.7 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 14.3 | 15.0 |
Graubünden | 14.8 | 18.1 | 22.9 | 20.1 | 18.3 | 18.1 | 16.5 | 15.1 | 15.8 | 19.1 | 11.9 | 13.3 | 13.6 |
Aargau | 15.9 | 17.7 | 20.5 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 16.4 | 15.8 | 17.2 | 15.3 | 13.6 | 11.5 | 15.1 | 13.6 |
Thurgau | 16.9 | 14.4 | 16.9 | 18.3 | 18.5 | 16.5 | 15.3 | 14.7 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 11.2 | 13.0 | 11.5 |
Ticino | 38.4 | 39.1 | 36.3 | 37.9 | 34.8 | 29.4 | 30.5 | 27.7 | 29.8 | 28.1 | 24.8 | 23.7 | 20.5 |
Vaud | 26.0 | 25.6 | 27.1 | 30.4 | 27.6 | 26.4 | 23.5 | 25.0 | 18.5 | 14.6 | 16.3d | 26.8 | 23.3 |
Valais | 19.3 | 18.9 | 22.7 | 25.2 | 24.6 | 25.9 | 24.2 | 18.8 | 17.1 | 16.0 | 18.8 | 18.1 | 16.5 |
Neuchâtel | 24.3 | 22.4 | 20.6 | 19.4 | 20.4 | 22.5 | 25.7 | 20.5 | 14.8 | 12.7 | 26.9 | 24.4 | 22.3 |
Genève | 19.2 | 16.6 | 14.7 | 16.2 | 18.0 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 12.7 | 7.3 | 7.7 | 18.6 | 20.5 | 17.9 |
Jura | b | b | 30.9 | 28.8 | 33.4 | 35.1 | 29.5 | 19.5 | 16.3 | 13.4 | 9.5 | 16.8 | 9.1 |
- a.^ * indicates that the party was not on the ballot in this canton.
- b.^ Part of the Canton of Bern until 1979.
- c.^ In Basel Stadt the FDP and Liberals (LP) were not merged in 2011, 2015 and 2019, numbers are for the FDP party.
- d.^ In Vaud the FDP and Liberals (LP) were not merged in 2011, numbers are for the FDP party.
Leaders
- Ticino
- Aargau
- Petra Gössi (2016–present), Schwyz
See also
- Liberalism and radicalism in Switzerland
Notes and references
- ^ a b The Swiss Confederation — A Brief Guide. Federal Chancellery. 2015. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Switzerland". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ISBN 978-1-137-01135-0.
- ISBN 978-0-313-39181-1.
- ISBN 978-1-351-24549-4.
- ISBN 9781351245487.
- .