2011 Swiss federal election explained

Election Name:2011 Swiss federal election
Country:Switzerland
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2007
Next Election:2015
Seats For Election: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)
Turnout:48.5% 0.2 pp
Election Date:23 October 2011
Heading1:National Council
Leader1:Toni Brunner
Party1:Swiss People's Party
Percentage1:26.6%
Last Election1:62
Seats1:54
Leader2:Christian Levrat
Party2:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
Percentage2:18.7%
Last Election2:43
Seats2:46
Leader3:Fulvio Pelli
Party3:FDP.The Liberals
Percentage3:15.1%
Last Election3:35
Seats3:30
Party4:Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
Percentage4:12.3%
Last Election4:31
Seats4:28
Leader5:Ueli Leuenberger
Party5:Green Party of Switzerland
Percentage5:8.4%
Last Election5:20
Seats5:15
Leader6:Martin Bäumle
Party6:Green Liberal Party of Switzerland
Percentage6:5.4%
Last Election6:3
Seats6:12
Leader7:Hans Grunder
Party7:Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland
Percentage7:5.4%
Last Election7:new
Seats7:9
Leader8:Heiner Studer
Party8:Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland
Percentage8:2.0%
Last Election8:2
Seats8:2
Leader9:Giuliano Bignasca
Party9:Ticino League
Percentage9:0.8%
Last Election9:1
Seats9:2
Party10:Geneva Citizens' Movement
Percentage10:0.4%
Last Election10:0
Seats10:1
Leader11:Sepp Stalder
Party11:Christian Social Party of Obwalden
Percentage11:0.4%
Last Election11:0
Seats11:1
Heading12:Council of States
Party12:Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
Last Election12:15
Seats12:13
Party13:FDP.The Liberals
Last Election13:12
Seats13:11
Party14:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
Last Election14:9
Seats14:11
Party15:Swiss People's Party
Last Election15:7
Seats15:5
Party16:Green Party of Switzerland
Last Election16:2
Seats16:2
Party17:Green Liberal Party of Switzerland
Last Election17:1
Seats17:2
Party18:Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland
Last Election18:New
Seats18:1
Party19:Independent (politician)
Last Election19:0
Seats19:1
Map:National Council of Switzerland 2011 election winner by canton.svg
Map Size:300px

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 23 October 2011. All of the Federal Assembly were to be elected: all 200 seats in the National Council and all 46 seats in the Council of States.

Voter turnout was 49.1%, compared to 48.9% in 2007.[1]

National Council

At the last election, in 2007, the Swiss People's Party (SVP) won the highest share of the vote ever recorded for a single party in Switzerland, with 29% of the vote. Soon after, a moderate faction split from the SVP, forming the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP).

In the 2011 election, the two neophyte parties BDP and Green Liberal Party (GLP) were successful, each receiving 5.4% of the popular vote. Both the GLP and the BDP have gained the required five seats to form their own parliamentary groups, suggesting a split of the centrist CVP/EVP/glp group.

All other major parties lost votes, the Swiss People's Party (SVP) for the first time since the 1987 elections. With 26.6% of the popular vote, the SVP is still the strongest party by a comfortable margin, but the 2011 elections marked the end of its rapid growth during the period of 1995–2007.

Of the small parties (below 5 seats), the Evangelical People's Party received 2.0% of the vote (+0.4%), retaining its two seats. The Ticino League received 0.8% of the vote (+0.2%) and gains one seat, now holding two.

The Christian Social Party lost one seat, but gained another to remain in the National Council, while the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland and Swiss Party of Labour lost their single seats. Other minor groups which gathered more than 0.1% of the popular vote are: the Swiss Pirate Party (0.48%), the Swiss Democrats (0.20%), parteifrei.ch (0.19%) and Tierpartei Schweiz (0.15%).

By constituency

ConstituencySeatsElectorateTurnoutPartyVotesSeats
won
Aargau15399,092193,601Swiss People's Party954,3606
Social Democratic Party495,5403
FDP.The Liberals315,4272
Christian Democratic People's Party290,9641
Green Party200,6541
Conservative Democratic Party168,7311
Green Liberal Party155,6841
Evangelical People's Party88,4830
Federal Democratic Union32,1800
Pirate Party21,2740
Social Liberal Movement13,0870
Swiss Democrats10,4190
Appenzell Ausserrhoden137,67817,900FDP.The Liberals8,9701
Swiss People's Party5,3120
Christian Democratic People's Party1,8400
Green Party1,1140
Others1780
Appenzell Innerrhoden111,3584,232Christian Democratic People's Party3,1071
Social Democratic Party8300
Others1460
Basel-Landschaft7186,80689,949Swiss People's Party165,9952
Social Democratic Party150,5832
Green Party83,7791
FDP.The Liberals68,7101
Christian Democratic People's Party50,7821
Conservative Democratic Party39,1290
Green Liberal Party30,8110
Evangelical People's Party20,2480
Swiss Democrats4,1620
Basel-Stadt5114,06457,337Social Democratic Party80,6732
Swiss People's Party45,7711
FDP.The Liberals53,0041
Green Party37,2280
Christian Democratic People's Party18,0821
Green Liberal Party16,1390
Evangelical People's Party6,9200
Conservative Democratic Party6,1800
Pirate Party5,3140
People's Action4,0480
Federal Democratic Union1,4180
parteifrei.ch1,3370
Free State of Lower Kleinbasel9010
Bern26713,938359,576Swiss People's Party2,663,8638
Social Democratic Party1,776,1056
Conservative Democratic Party1,367,4284
Green Party865,1683
FDP.The Liberals795,4082
Green Liberal Party486,2542
Evangelical People's Party383,5251
Federal Democratic Union285,2350
Christian Democratic People's Party167,2120
Pirate Party67,5090
Swiss Democrats51,5490
Alternative Left42,4390
Jimy Hofer plus37,1780
Alpenparlament36,6350
Party of Labour31,4870
Swiss Nationalist Party27,7170
Social Liberal Movement25,4200
Liberal Socialists22,6970
parteifrei.ch21,3780
Les Rauraques17,9110
Animal Party17,5050
Fribourg7185,48587,582Social Democratic Party157,6793
Swiss People's Party126,7591
Christian Democratic People's Party119,7102
FDP.The Liberals75,6361
Christian Social Party32,3250
Green Party29,2860
Green Liberal Party20,9790
Conservative Democratic Party11,1800
Federal Democratic Union4,1830
Evangelical People's Party4,1240
Pirate Party3,6300
parteifrei.ch2,5990
Integral Politics1,5250
Independent Citizens' Movement1,3600
Geneva11240,126101,795Social Democratic Party208,5053
FDP.The Liberals203,1872
Swiss People's Party174,6042
Green Party152,8002
Citizens' Movement106,5921
Christian Democratic People's Party106,4861
Solidarity56,7110
Green Liberal Party34,5280
Party of Labour13,9320
Evangelical People's Party11,0850
Pirate Party9,8060
The Combative Left4,9180
Alliance BLEUE2,8190
Glarus126,0788,915Conservative Democratic Party5,0661
Social Democratic Party2,0160
Swiss People's Party2280
Green Party1160
Others7830
Grisons5135,14160,965Swiss People's Party72,2901
Conservative Democratic Party60,3871
Christian Democratic People's Party49,1171
Social Democratic Party46,0751
FDP.The Liberals35,1340
Green Liberal Party24,3571
Green Party6,3710
Federal Democratic Union1,4990
Jura250,62922,472Christian Democratic People's Party14,6021
Social Democratic Party13,5401
Swiss People's Party6,7920
Green Party4,8160
FDP.The Liberals4,1710
Lucerne10260,101132,448Christian Democratic People's Party349,7293
Swiss People's Party323,7832
FDP.The Liberals237,0312
Social Democratic Party147,9271
Green Party106,7561
Green Liberal Party78,9641
Conservative Democratic Party27,5860
Evangelical People's Party9,6190
Animal Party6,5410
parteifrei.ch1,9460
Neuchâtel5109,92646,601FDP.The Liberals60,2472
Social Democratic Party55,4511
Swiss People's Party47,9671
Green Party26,1371
Party of Labour23,3290
Christian Democratic People's Party7,8330
Conservative Democratic Party3,3310
Nidwalden130,36318,501Swiss People's Party8,0601
FDP.The Liberals6,2730
Green Party3,4870
Obwalden125,22116,209Christian Democratic People's Party8,8961
Swiss People's Party6,7390
Schaffhausen249,78330,263Swiss People's Party23,3621
Social Democratic Party20,2561
FDP.The Liberals7,2060
Christian Democratic People's Party3,0640
Federal Democratic Union2,2180
Alternative Left2,5030
Schwyz498,19349,221Swiss People's Party72,0081
FDP.The Liberals39,5571
Christian Democratic People's Party38,9641
Social Democratic Party28,0171
Green Party3,7970
Atom Free - Yes to Sun and Wood3,4660
Evangelical People's Party2,0970
Fresher Wind1,6650
Solothurn7173,35689,651Swiss People's Party148,7102
FDP.The Liberals112,5291
Social Democratic Party111,8942
Christian Democratic People's Party109,1522
Green Party45,8330
Green Liberal Party30,4150
Conservative Democratic Party26,6750
Evangelical People's Party8,9400
parteifrei.ch8,1820
Animal Party6,0090
Federal Democratic Union2,9680
St. Gallen12311,495145,657Swiss People's Party536,1504
Christian Democratic People's Party345,6173
Social Democratic Party283,8032
FDP.The Liberals208,5871
Green Party108,7081
Green Liberal Party101,5981
Conservative Democratic Party64,4500
Evangelical People's Party31,0570
Federal Democratic Union20,8100
Ticino8212,103115,173FDP.The Liberals214,8142
Christian Democratic People's Party172,5742
Ticino League151,6472
Social Democratic Party143,5171
Swiss People's Party83,9191
Green Party58,2780
Communist Party10,5600
Green Liberal Party9,0980
Strengthening the Family2,4370
Svizzera Italiana2,2270
Thurgau6160,45374,975Swiss People's Party168,2393
Christian Democratic People's Party62,5251
Social Democratic Party52,5571
FDP.The Liberals48,9360
Green Party30,6091
Green Liberal Party22,6840
Conservative Democratic Party21,5700
Federal Democratic Union15,1480
Evangelical People's Party12,7470
Uri126,11012,979FDP.The Liberals9,0051
Social Democratic Party2,6030
Others5170
Vaud18410,956171,084Social Democratic Party742,7286
Swiss People's Party677,1704
FDP.The Liberals649,3724
Green Party341,7112
Green Liberal Party150,5851
Christian Democratic People's Party136,6161
Party of Labour115,9150
Solidarity53,3290
Federal Democratic Union32,3920
Evangelical People's Party31,4240
Pirate Party29,1250
Conservative Democratic Party24,5470
Citizens' Movement15,6100
Swiss Democrats2,5970
Swiss Nationalist Party2,3890
Valais7205,917127,351Christian Democratic People's Party262,2633
Swiss People's Party166,5081
FDP.The Liberals159,0461
Social Democratic Party129,7972
Christian Social Party75,3220
Green Party42,2190
Alternative Left5,4970
Conservative Democratic Party5,3410
Zug371,84535,121Swiss People's Party33,1161
Christian Democratic People's Party28,4131
FDP.The Liberals22,4941
Green Party17,9720
Green Liberal Party7,9430
Social Democratic Party6,1670
Christian Social Party8680
Zürich34877,817410,976Swiss People's Party4,135,95911
Social Democratic Party2,671,3287
FDP.The Liberals1,613,8514
Green Liberal Party1,591,9244
Green Party1,163,5223
Conservative Democratic Party731,5012
Christian Democratic People's Party697,2402
Evangelical People's Party425,5201
Federal Democratic Union300,5400
Alternative Left141,7880
Pirate Party119,4000
parteifrei.ch60,4710
Animal Party55,4660
Swiss Democrats39,0120
Party of Labour33,1000
Fools Party8,5210
Anti-PowerPoint Party4,7960
Subitas1,9890
Source: Bundesblatt, 22 November 2011

Council of States

The elections of the Council of States are done by a plurality voting system. 27 out of 46 seats were determined on the first ballot on 23 October; the remaining 19 seats were decided in a second ballot held in November.

By canton

CantonSeat 1PartySeat 2Party
Felix Gutzwiller *FDP.The LiberalsVerena Diener *Green Liberal Party
Werner Luginbühl *Conservative Democratic PartyHans StöckliSocial Democratic Party
Konrad Graber *Georges TheilerFDP.The Liberals
Isidor BaumannChristian Democratic People's PartyMarkus Stadler *Green Liberal Party
Alex Kuprecht *Swiss People's PartyPeter FöhnSwiss People's Party
Hans Hess *FDP.The LiberalsN/A
Paul Niederberger *Christian Democratic People's PartyN/A
This Jenny *Swiss People's PartyPankraz Freitag *FDP.The Liberals
Joachim EderFDP.The LiberalsPeter Bieri * Christian Democratic People's Party
Alain Berset *Social Democratic PartyUrs Schwaller *Christian Democratic People's Party
Roberto Zanetti *Social Democratic PartyPirmin BischofChristian Democratic People's Party
Anita Fetz *Social Democratic PartyN/A
Claude JaniakSocial Democratic PartyN/A
Hannes Germann *Swiss People's PartyThomas MinderIndependent
Ivo Bischofberger *Christian Democratic People's PartyN/A
Hans Altherr *FDP.The LiberalsN/A
FDP.The LiberalsPaul RechsteinerSocial Democratic Party
FDP.The LiberalsChristian Democratic People's Party
Pascale BrudererSocial Democratic PartyChristine Egerszegi *FDP.The Liberals
Roland EberleSwiss People's PartyBrigitte Häberli-KollerChristian Democratic People's Party
Filippo Lombardi *Christian Democratic People's PartyFabio AbateFDP.The Liberals
Géraldine Savary *Social Democratic PartyLuc Recordon *Green Party
Jean-René Fournier *Christian Democratic People's PartyRené Imoberdorf *Christian Democratic People's Party
Didier Berberat *Social Democratic PartyRaphaël Comte *FDP.The Liberals
Liliane Maury Pasquier *Social Democratic PartyRobert Cramer *Green Party
Claude Hêche *Social Democratic PartyAnne Seydoux-Christe *Christian Democratic People's Party

Pre-election polls

PollsterDateSVPSPSFDPCVPGPSGLPBDPEVPEDUPdALdTCSPoth.
gfs.bern[2] 1–8 October 201129.3 19.9 15.2 14.2 9.3 4.9 3.6 1.5 1.0 n.c. n.c. n.c. 1.1
Isopublic[3] 1–23 September 201128.2 20.3 15.7 14.2 9.8 5.2 3.2 n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c. 3.4
gfs.bern[4] 23 August – 3 September 201128.0 20.5 15.6 14.5 9.5 4.5 3.1 1.6 1.0 n.c. n.c. n.c. 1.7
demoscope.ch[5] 25 July – 6 August 201124.8 19.5 17.8 12.4 9.9 7.2 3.0 n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c. n.c. 5.4
gfs.bern25 July – 6 August 201127.4 18.5 16.1 15.0 10.1 4.6 2.9 1.7 1.7 n.c. n.c. n.c. 2.0
gfs.bern[6] 13–26 June 201127.5 18.9 15.0 13.4 10.0 5.23.0 2.4 1.3 n.c. n.c. n.c. 3.3
Isopublic[7] 8–18 June 201128.7 18.6 13.9 13.2 9.9 8.0 3.7 1.0 0.1 n.c. n.c. 0.2 1.8
gfs.bern4–16 April 201129.9 17.7 15.2 12.7 10.9 5.7 3.5 1.5 1.1 n.c n.c n.c 1.8
Isopublic[8] 17–26 March 201125.4 18.2 15.4 14.3 10.5 6.1 2.8 n.c n.c n.c n.c n.c 7.3
gfs.bern10–22 January 201129.8 18.0 17.7 12.9 8.8 5.2 2.6 2.2 1.5 n.c n.c n.c 1.4
Isopublic[9] 10–21 December 201026.0 19.1 17.1 13.8 9.1 3.2 4.5 1.4 1.2 0.5 n.c n.c 4.1
gfs.bern28 Sept. – 11 Oct. 201026.1 20.1 17.2 14.1 8.5 3.8 3.6 2.4 0.6 0.7 0.2 0.7 2.0
2007 federal election[10] 21 October 200728.919.517.714.59.61.4—2.41.30.70.60.42.9

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wahlbeteiligung 2011. Politik-stat.ch. 17 January 2015.
  2. Web site: gfs.bern AG - öffentliche Meinung; Umfragen; Issue-Analysen; Politik, Kommunikation, Gesellschaft, Trends. Gfsbern.ch. 17 January 2015.
  3. Web site: Detail - SonntagsZeitung. Sonntagszeitung.ch. 17 January 2015.
  4. Web site: Archived copy . www.gfsbern.ch . 15 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120329230647/http://www.gfsbern.ch/ArticlesDataHandler.ashx?ArticleId=747&Type=file&SubType=File2 . 29 March 2012 . dead.
  5. Web site: demoscope.ch. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120331162056/http://www.demoscope.ch/upload/docs/PDF2008/Bli.pdf. 31 March 2012. 3 September 2011.
  6. Web site: Barometer of voting. JPG. Kunden.gfsbern.ch. 17 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321191329/https://kunden.gfsbern.ch/portals/1/parteienbarometer/w3xy/4.jpg. 21 March 2012. dead.
  7. Web site: Auswertung ISOPUBLIC POLITBAROMETER im Auftrag der SonntagsZeitung & Le Matin Dimanche. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110815151705/http://www.isopublic.ch/publikationen/pdf/ISOPUBLIC%20POLITBarometer%20Juni%202011.pdf. 15 August 2011. 28 June 2011.
  8. Web site: Einen Moment bitte, die Ausgabe wird geladen . 2 June 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111001211951/http://www.sonntagszeitung.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf_dokumente/2011/Dossier_27.3.11.pdf . 1 October 2011 .
  9. Web site: ISOPUBLIC POLITBAROMETER im Auftrag der SonntagsZeitung & Le Matin Dimanche. Isopublic.ch. 17 January 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121207042522/http://www.isopublic.ch/publikationen/pdf/ISOPUBLIC%20Politbarometer%20Dez%202010.pdf. 7 December 2012. dmy-all.
  10. Web site: politiquesuisse.5gigs.net. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723000454/http://www.politiquesuisse.5gigs.net/cn.html. 23 July 2011. 13 February 2011.

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