List of political parties in Switzerland

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Political parties in Switzerland lists political parties in Switzerland. Switzerland has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.

The parties

Party Members in Political
Abbr. Name W President F ¹ S ² N ³ Position
CVP/PDC Christian Democratic People's Party ⁴ [link] Doris Leuthard 1 15 28 Centrist (christian-democratic); in the cantons, centre-left to centre-right
FDP/PRD Free Democratic Party ⁵ [link] Fulvio Pelli 2 14 36 Centre-right (liberal)
SPS/PSS Social Democratic Party [link] Hans-Jürg Fehr 2 9 52 Left (social-democratic)
SVP/UDC Swiss People's Party [link] Ueli Maurer 2 8 55 Right (conservative)

CSP/PCS Christian Social Party [link] Monika Bloch Süss 0 0 1 Centre-left (christian-democratic)
EVP/PEV Evangelical People's Party [link] Ruedi Aeschbacher 0 0 3 Centre (christian-democratic)
FPS Freedom Party [link] 0 0 0 Strongly right (right-populist)
Greens Green Party [link] Ruth Genner 0 0 13 Left (green)
LPS/PLS Liberal Party [link] Claude Ruey 0 0 4 Center-right (liberal)
SD/DS Swiss Democrats 0 0 1 Strongly right (nationalist)
Lega Ticino League [link] Giuliano Bignasca 0 0 1 Strongly right (regionally right-populist)
EDU/UDF Federal Democratic Union [link] 0 0 2 Strongly right (evangelical-conservative)
PdA/PST Swiss Labour Party ⁶ 0 0 2 Strongly left (socialist)
AL Alternative List 0 0 1 Strongly left (green socialist)
Sol Solidarities 0 0 1 Strongly left (socialist)
Notes: ¹ Federal Council since 2004; ² Council of States, 2003; ³ National Council 2003 (members of party or caucus)⁴ Christian Democratic Party; ⁵ also rendered as: Radical Democratic Party, Freethinking Democratic Party, Radical Free Democratic Party or Liberal Democratic Party; ⁶ also renderend as Swiss Workers' Party

Party		Members in	Political
Abbr.	Name	W	President	F ¹	S ²	N ³	Position
CVP/PDC	Christian Democratic People's Party ⁴	[link]	Doris Leuthard	1	15	28	Centrist (christian-democratic); in the cantons, centre-left to centre-right
FDP/PRD	Free Democratic Party ⁵	[link]	Fulvio Pelli	2	14	36	Centre-right (liberal)
SPS/PSS	Social Democratic Party	[link]	Hans-Jürg Fehr	2	9	52	Left (social-democratic)
SVP/UDC	Swiss People's Party	[link]	Ueli Maurer	2	8	55	Right (conservative)

CSP/PCS	Christian Social Party	[link]	Monika Bloch Süss	0	0	1	Centre-left (christian-democratic)
EVP/PEV	Evangelical People's Party	[link]	Ruedi Aeschbacher	0	0	3	Centre (christian-democratic)
FPS	Freedom Party	[link]		0	0	0	Strongly right (right-populist)
Greens	Green Party	[link]	Ruth Genner	0	0	13	Left (green)
LPS/PLS	Liberal Party	[link]	Claude Ruey	0	0	4	Center-right (liberal)
SD/DS	Swiss Democrats			0	0	1	Strongly right (nationalist)
Lega	Ticino League	[link]	Giuliano Bignasca	0	0	1	Strongly right (regionally right-populist)
EDU/UDF	Federal Democratic Union	[link]		0	0	2	Strongly right (evangelical-conservative)
PdA/PST	Swiss Labour Party ⁶			0	0	2	Strongly left (socialist)
AL	Alternative List			0	0	1	Strongly left (green socialist)
Sol	Solidarities			0	0	1	Strongly left (socialist)

Names in the national languages

Abbr. Party German language name French Italian Romansh

CVP/PDC Christian Democratic People's Party Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP Parti Démocrate-Chrétien Suisse or PDC Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC Partida Cristiandemocratica de la Svizra or PCD

FDP/PRD Free Democratic Party ¹ Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP Parti radical-démocratique suisse or PRD Partito Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR Partida liberaldemocrata de la Svizra or PLD

SPS/PSS Social Democratic Party Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS

SVP/UDC Swiss People's Party Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP Union Démocratique du Centre or UDC Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC Partida Populara Svizra or PPS

CSP/PCS Christian Social Party Christlich-soziale Partei or CSP Parti chrétien-social or PCS Partito cristiano sociale Svizzero or PCS Partida cristiansociala de la Svizra or PCS

EVP/PEV Evangelical People's Party Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV Partida Evangelica Svizra or PEV

FPS Freedom Party Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz or FPS Parti Suisse de la Liberté or PSL Partito svizzero della Libertà or PSL Partida Svizra da la Libertad or PSL

Greens Green Party Grüne Partei der Schweiz or Grüne Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda

LPS/PLS Liberal Party Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS Parti libéral suisse or PLS Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS Partida liberal-conservativa Svizra or PLC

SD/DS Swiss Democrats Schweizer Demokraten or SD Démocrates Suisses or DS Democratici Svizzeri or DS Democrats Svizzers or DS

Lega Ticino League Lega dei Ticinesi

EDU/UDF Federal Democratic Union Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union or EDU Union Démocratique Fédérale or UDF Unione Democratica Federale or UDF Uniun democrata federala or UDF

PdA/PST Swiss Labour Party Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS Parti suisse du travail or PST Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL Partida svizra da la lavur or PSdL

AL Alternative List Alternative Liste
Sol. Solidarities Solidarités

¹ also rendered as: Radical Democratic Party, Freethinking Democratic Party, Radical Free Democratic Party or Liberal Democratic Party sources: The Federal Chancellery

Abbr.	Party	German language name	French	Italian	Romansh
CVP/PDC	Christian Democratic People's Party	Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP	Parti Démocrate-Chrétien Suisse or PDC	Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC	Partida Cristiandemocratica de la Svizra or PCD
FDP/PRD	Free Democratic Party ¹	Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP	Parti radical-démocratique suisse or PRD	Partito Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR	Partida liberaldemocrata de la Svizra or PLD
SPS/PSS	Social Democratic Party	Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS	Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS	Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS	Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS
SVP/UDC	Swiss People's Party	Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP	Union Démocratique du Centre or UDC	Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC	Partida Populara Svizra or PPS

CSP/PCS	Christian Social Party	Christlich-soziale Partei or CSP	Parti chrétien-social or PCS	Partito cristiano sociale Svizzero or PCS	Partida cristiansociala de la Svizra or PCS
EVP/PEV	Evangelical People's Party	Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP	Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV	Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV	Partida Evangelica Svizra or PEV
FPS	Freedom Party	Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz or FPS	Parti Suisse de la Liberté or PSL	Partito svizzero della Libertà or PSL	Partida Svizra da la Libertad or PSL
Greens	Green Party	Grüne Partei der Schweiz or Grüne	Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts	Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi	Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda
LPS/PLS	Liberal Party	Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS	Parti libéral suisse or PLS	Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS	Partida liberal-conservativa Svizra or PLC
SD/DS	Swiss Democrats	Schweizer Demokraten or SD	Démocrates Suisses or DS	Democratici Svizzeri or DS	Democrats Svizzers or DS
Lega	Ticino League			Lega dei Ticinesi
EDU/UDF	Federal Democratic Union	Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union or EDU	Union Démocratique Fédérale or UDF	Unione Democratica Federale or UDF	Uniun democrata federala or UDF
PdA/PST	Swiss Labour Party	Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS	Parti suisse du travail or PST	Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL	Partida svizra da la lavur or PSdL
AL	Alternative List	Alternative Liste
Sol.	Solidarities		Solidarités

List of political parties in Switzerland

The parties

Names in the national languages

See also