Swiss federal election, 2015

Swiss federal election, 2015
Election name	Swiss federal election, 2015
Country	Switzerland
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	Swiss federal election, 2011
Previous year	2011
Next election	Swiss federal election, 2019
Next year	2019
Election date	18 October 2015

Swiss federal election, 2015 The 2015 national vote in Switzerland elected members of the National Council and the Council of States on 18 October 2015. The contest reshaped the composition of the Federal Assembly, produced notable gains for the Swiss People's Party, and influenced the composition of the Swiss Federal Council. Observers compared the results to previous contests such as the Swiss federal election, 2011 and anticipated effects on bilateral relations with the European Union.

Background

In the lead-up to the 2015 contest, the political landscape involved parties including the Swiss People's Party, Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, FDP.The Liberals, Christian Democratic People's Party, Green Party of Switzerland, and the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland. Key institutional actors encompassed the Federal Chancellery, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, cantonal governments such as the Canton of Zurich, Canton of Bern, and Canton of Geneva, and municipal authorities in cities like Zurich, Geneva, and Basel. Major recent events framing the campaign included the 2014 referendum on immigration and rulings by the European Court of Human Rights that affected asylum and human rights debates. Economic context referenced relationships with the European Free Trade Association, the World Trade Organization, and cross-border labor flows with Germany and Italy.

Electoral system

Elections used the rules of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation and laws administered by the Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland) and organised by cantonal authorities in accordance with the Swiss Parliamentary law. The National Council's 200 seats were elected by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies, with seats allocated according to the D'Hondt method or similar highest averages methods used in cantons such as Canton of Aargau and Canton of Vaud. The Council of States's 46 seats were elected mostly by majority vote in cantons like Canton of Uri and Canton of Schwyz, following cantonal electoral laws in places such as Canton of Ticino and Canton of Valais. Voter eligibility depended on citizenship and residency outlined in the Swiss Civil Code, with expatriate voters registered through Swiss diplomatic missions including embassies in Berlin, Paris, and Brussels. Campaign financing and media coverage were regulated under provisions influenced by decisions from the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

Campaign and issues

Campaigns were run by party organisations such as the Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland, trade unions including the Swiss Trade Union Confederation, business groups like the Economiesuisse, and NGOs such as Pro Natura and Amnesty International. Prominent campaign issues included immigration policy tied to the Free Movement of Persons Agreement with the European Union, economic policy involving the Swiss National Bank's franc policy and relations with the International Monetary Fund, social policy debates involving AHV/AVS reform, and energy policy in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster's impact on Swiss energy strategy and the Energy Strategy 2050. High-profile politicians included Christoph Blocher, Simonetta Sommaruga, Micheline Calmy-Rey, Ueli Maurer, Doris Leuthard, Guy Parmelin, and party leaders such as Christian Levrat and Fulvio Pelli. Media outlets like SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen), Le Temps, and Tages-Anzeiger covered televised debates alongside international coverage from BBC News, Le Monde, and The Guardian.

Opinion polls

Polling organisations such as GFS Bern, M.I.S. Trend, and Isopublic tracked voter intentions in cantons including Canton of Geneva, Canton of Zurich, and Canton of Basel-Stadt. Surveys referenced past voting behaviour from the Swiss federal election, 2011 and projections for seat distribution in the National Council and Council of States. Polls showed rising support for the Swiss People's Party and steady support for FDP.The Liberals and Christian Democratic People's Party, with fluctuations for the Green Party of Switzerland and Social Democratic Party of Switzerland. Polling methodology drew on samples stratified by cantonal registers and used weighting techniques similar to those employed by organisations such as Eurobarometer and the European Social Survey for comparative analysis.

Results

The Swiss People's Party achieved significant gains in the National Council, increasing its vote share in cantons such as Canton of Zurich, Canton of Bern, and Canton of Aargau and winning additional seats. The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland experienced losses in urban cantons like Canton of Geneva and Canton of Basel-Stadt, while FDP.The Liberals and Christian Democratic People's Party retained substantial representation. Smaller parties such as the Green Party of Switzerland and the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland had mixed results, with the Greens performing better in university towns like Lausanne and Zurich. The composition of the Council of States saw contests in cantons including Canton of Schwyz and Canton of Valais, with incumbents from parties like FDP.The Liberals and Christian Democratic People's Party defending seats. Voter turnout varied across cantons, with higher participation in Canton of Neuchâtel and lower turnout in Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden.

Aftermath and government formation

Following the results, negotiations over the Swiss Federal Council's composition involved party delegations from Swiss People's Party, Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, FDP.The Liberals, and Christian Democratic People's Party. The Federal Assembly and the Federal Council responded to the altered balance of power in light of international relations with the European Union and trade partners like Germany and Italy. High-profile appointments and discussions touched figures such as Simonetta Sommaruga, Doris Leuthard, Ueli Maurer, and newcomers from cantonal lists. The outcome influenced subsequent policy debates on immigration, monetary policy at the Swiss National Bank, and Switzerland's bilateral accords with the European Free Trade Association and the European Economic Area framework, while setting the stage for the Swiss federal election, 2019.

Category:2015 elections in Switzerland