Swiss People's Party group

The Swiss People's Party group (German: Fraktion der Schweizerischen Volkspartei, French: Groupe de l'Union Démocratique du Centre, Italian: Gruppo dell'Unione democratica di Centro, abbreviated V) is the largest parliamentary group in the Swiss Federal Assembly. It regroups the Swiss People's Party and other minor parties or independents caucusing with them.[1]

Swiss People's Party group (V)
Fraktion der Schweizerischen Volkspartei
Groupe de l'Union démocratique du centre
Gruppo dell'Unione democratica di Centro
Fracziun da la Partida populara svizra
ChamberSwiss National Council and Council of States
Foundation22 December 1919
Previous name(s)Party of Farmers, Traders, and Bourgeois (until 1971)
Member partiesSVP, Lega, EDU, MCR
PresidentThomas Aeschi
General secretaryRaphael Vogel
Representation
62 / 246
IdeologyRight-wing to far-right

Composition

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In the 47th legislature (2003–2007) the group contained the SVP/UDC and the Ticino League. In the 48th legislature (2007–2011) it was joined by the Federal Democratic Union (EDU) then by the Romandy Citizens' Movement (MCR) for the 49th legislature (2011–2015).

Composition of the Swiss People's Party group at the start of each legislature[1][2]
Legislature National Council Council of States Total
SVP Lega EDU MCR Ind. SVP Ind.
51st (2019–2023) 53 1 1 0 0 6 1 62
50th (2015–2019) 64 2 0 1 1 5 1 74
49th (2011–2015) 54 2 0 0 5 1 63
48th (2007–2011) 64 1 1 6 0 72
47th (2003–2007) 54 1 0 8 0 64

Historical composition

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Historical composition of the Swiss People's Party group[3]
Legislature NC CS Total Notes
Group of Farmers, Artisans and Bourgeois
25th (1919) 25 1 26 Gained 3 NC in 1920, then 2 more NC in 1921
26th (1922) 35 1 36 Lost 1 NC in 1923
27th (1925) 30 1 31 Lost 1 NC and gained 1 CS in 1928
28th (1928) 31 3 34 Lost 1 NC in 1931
29th (1931) 30 3 33 Lost 2 NC in 1935
30th (1935) 21 3 24
31st (1939) 22 4 26
32nd (1943) 22 4 26
33rd (1947) 21 4 25 Lost 1 CS in 1949, then gained 1 CS in 1951
34th (1951) 23 3 26
35th (1955) 22 3 25
36th (1969) 23 4 27
37th (1963) 22 4 26
38th (1967) 21 3 24
Swiss People's Party group
39th (1971) 25 5 30
40th (1975) 21 5 26 Gained 2 NC and lost 1 CS in 1979
41st (1979) 23 5 28
42nd (1983) 23 5 28
43rd (1987) 25 4 29
44th (1991) 25 4 29
45th (1995) 29 5 34 Gained 1 NC in 1997, then gained 2 CS in 1999
46th (1999) 44 7 51 Gained 1 NC in 2002

46th legislature (1999–2003)

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The group includes 45 national councillors and 7 councillors of states.

47th legislature (2003–2007)

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The group was formed with 64 members, of which 54 members of the National Council (53 from the SVP and 1 from the Ticino League), and 8 members of the Council of States (all SVP).

National Councillor Ulrich Siegrist left the group on 11 May 2006.[1]

48th legislature (2007–2011)

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The group was formed with 70 members, of which 64 members of the National Council (62 from the SVP, 1 from the Ticino League, and 1 from the EDU) and 6 members of the Council of States (all SVP).

The EDU national councillor Christian Waber left on 18 December 2007. States councillor Werner Luginbühl (BE) and national councillors Brigitta Gadient (GR), Ursula Haller (BE), Hans Grunder (BE) and Hansjörg Hassler (GR) left the group on 15 September 2008 to later form the Conservative Democratic Party. National councillor Thomas Müller joined after defecting from the CVP on 14 February 2011. Adrian Amstutz (BE) was elected to the Council of States and joined the group on 6 March 2011.[1]

49th legislature (2011–2015)

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The group was formed with 63 members, of which 57 members of the National Council (54 from the SVP, 2 from the Ticino League, and 1 from the MCR) and 6 members of the Council of States (5 SVP and independent Thomas Minder).

Roger Golay (MCR-GE) joined the National Council and the group on 3 December 2013. States councillor This Jenny (GL) died on 13 February 2014, his successor Werner Hösli was elected on 1 June 2014 and joined the group.[1]

50th legislature (2015–2019)

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The group was formed with 74 members, of which 68 members of the National Council (65 from the SVP, 2 from the Ticino League, and 1 from the MCR) and 6 members of the Council of States (5 SVP and independent Thomas Minder).[1]

51st legislature (2019–2023)

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The group was formed with 62 members, of which 55 members of the National Council (53 from the SVP, and one each from the Ticino League and the MCR) and 7 members of the Council of States (6 SVP and independent Thomas Minder).[2][4]

List of presidents of the group

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The group is currently presided by national councillor Thomas Aeschi (ZG).[4][5]

Party of the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents

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Swiss People's Party

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Les groupes parlementaires de l'Assemblée fédérale depuis la 46e législature". parlament.ch. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  2. ^ a b "Parliamentary groups". parlament.ch. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  3. ^ "Statistics on parliamentary groups since 1912 (xls)". parlament.ch. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  4. ^ a b "Swiss People's Party (V)". parlament.ch. Retrieved 2022-09-16.
  5. ^ "Présidents de groupes depuis 1917". parlament.ch (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-16.