Swiss elections show falling support for green parties

Significance

The SVP increased its vote share by 2.3 percentage points to 27.9%. The main losers were the Green Party and the Green Liberal Party, which collectively lost eleven seats. The elections reflected the resurgence of immigration as the main electoral concern, also seen in other European countries in recent months.

Impacts

• While there will be no changes to Swiss neutrality, Bern is likely to favour closer cooperation with NATO.
• It is likely that Switzerland will continue to follow the EU’s sanctions policy towards Russia, but resist doing so towards China.
• The elections suggest that radical movements associated with green agendas is weakening support for green parties.