Polls suggest a probable upswing for the rightwing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP), positioning them as a dominant force in the parliamentary landscape. Early projections propose a rise of about 3.5 percentage points from their 2019 performance, bringing their total to an estimated 29% of the vote. These results reveal a growing public support for the party’s firm position on curbing mass immigration and their opposition to so-called “woke culture”.
SVP President Marco Chiesa interpreted the poll results as a clear directive from the Swiss people to prioritize and address issues they care about, such as illegal immigration. In contrast, the Green party, which saw unprecedented success in 2019, is likely to experience a drop in support to around 9%, a decrease from 13.2%.
Polling agency GFS Bern forecasted the left-leaning Social Democrats to secure 18% of the vote, while the central-right group The Centre and the centrist party FDP.The Liberals are both expected to garner approximately 15%. Final results will be available early Monday.
The SVP’s stern stance against mass immigration appears to have found resonance among Swiss nationals, despite the country’s wealth and significant foreign resident population. The party’s controversial proposals include a population limit of 10 million until 2050, citing infrastructure strain and environmental preservation as justifications.
For the past two decades, the SVP has consistently been the largest faction in parliament, often stirring controversy with its hardline immigration stance. This election cycle, the SVP has faced accusations of xenophobia from the Federal Commission Against Racism, particularly in response to fear-inducing social media ads featuring violent and threatening imagery.
The SVP also positioned itself against “cancel culture” and “woke madness” in its campaign, further cementing its place within the cultural debate. This sentiment was echoed by the party’s youth wing, who expressed concern about the impact of progressive voting blocs on Swiss society and values.
Notably, while about a quarter of Switzerland’s residents are from other countries – with Italy, Germany, Portugal, and France being among the largest communities – only Swiss nationals are eligible to vote in federal elections.
The SVP, a party strongly opposed to the EU, has urged Switzerland to uphold its neutrality, expressing their concern about Switzerland aligning too closely with the EU in terms of sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine issue. Despite not being an EU member, Switzerland has mirrored the EU’s actions. Thomas Aeschi, leader of the SVP parliamentary group, stated to AFP that while they seek good relations with the EU, they are against an agreement that forces Switzerland to follow the EU’s directives.
Political experts anticipate no drastic changes in the Swiss government, also known as the Federal Council, post-election. The council positions are evenly distributed among the top four parties, and the newly elected parliament members will choose their government in mid-December. University of St Gallen’s Economics Professor, Reto Foellmi, believes the election’s impact would more likely influence the nature and concentration of political discussions.
Regarding climate change and migration, Foellmi predicts a deceleration in climate change initiatives, and a tougher stance on migration. The substantial support for the SVP indicates a shift in public concern from the impending climate crisis to immigration issues, especially in a country experiencing a rapid glacier meltdown.
Michael Hermann from Sotomo polling agency suggests that the populace’s shift to more conservative and security-oriented views explains the SVP’s success. According to Hermann, the SVP has capitalized on fears related to the notion of ‘wokeness’ and immigration.
The outcome of the Swiss election seems to be another addition to the rising far-right trend across Europe. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni originates from a party with neo-fascist roots, and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party recently celebrated their first district council election win. In Austria, the anti-immigration Freedom party leads polls for next year’s election. Meanwhile, in Finland and Sweden, far-right parties are significant players in the coalition government, securing major policy compromises.
