Swiss parliamentary election, 20 October 2019

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Publication Date October 2019
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Summary:

Reports, analyses and information relating to the legislative elections held in Switzerland in October 2019.

Further information:

On 20 October, federal elections were held to elect members of the National Council and the Council of States. The 200 members of the National Council are elected from 26 cantons, each of which constitutes a constituency. 194 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 6 members are elected by a plurality system to serve 4-year terms. In the Council of States members are elected to serve 4-year terms - 6 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies and 36 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies. 4 members are elected by list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies.

The far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) came first with 25.6 percent of the vote and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SP) took second place with 16.8 percent but they both lost support compared to the last election. The two green parties, the Green Party and the Green Liberal Party are the true winner of the election as they made major electoral gains, taking 13.2% and 7.8% of the vote respectively. Media coverage have interpreted this breakthrough as a "green wave".

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
Politico, Poll of the polls for Switzerland https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/switzerland/
Wikipedia: 2019 Swiss federal election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Swiss_federal_election
IFES Election Guide: Election for Swiss National Council http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3161/
LSE blog, 14/10/2019: What to expect from the 2019 Swiss federal elections https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/10/14/what-to-expect-from-the-2019-swiss-federal-elections/
Swissinfo, 21/10/2019: Swiss elections: ‘Green tsunami’ engulfs newspapers https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/press-review_swiss-elections---green-tsunami--engulfs-newspapers-/45312466
Euractiv, 25/10/2019: Swiss politics goes Green with a capital G https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/opinion/swiss-politics-goes-green-with-a-capital-g/
SwissInfo, 23/10/2019: ‘The anger of the Swiss Abroad has to be taken seriously’ https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/parliamentary-elections_-the-anger-of-the-swiss-abroad-has-to-be-taken-seriously-/45322938

News
Euronews, 19/10/2019: Climate change and the EU loom over Sunday's Swiss elections https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/19/climate-change-and-the-eu-loom-over-sunday-s-swiss-elections
BBC News, 21/10/2019: Switzerland election: Green parties make landmark gains https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50116400
DeutscheWelle, 20/10/2019: Greens surge in Swiss elections as voters' climate concerns grow https://www.dw.com/en/greens-surge-in-swiss-elections-as-voters-climate-concerns-grow/a-50903915
The local, 21/10/2019: Record number of women elected to Swiss parliament https://www.thelocal.ch/20191021/record-number-of-women-elected-to-swiss-parliament
Swissinfo, 20/10/2019: Swiss elections: Landslide Green gains tip parliament to the left https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-polls_election-2019-results-in-graphics/45196392

Official
OSCE: ODIHR: Switzerland Parliamentary Election, 20 October 2019 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/switzerland/425012

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