2003 Swiss federal election
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Template:Short description Template:Infobox legislative electionTemplate:Politics of Switzerland
Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 19 October 2003.<ref name=NS>Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 Template:ISBN</ref> Although in Switzerland's political system, in which all four major parties form a coalition, it is very difficult to achieve a change of government, this election produced an upset with the strong showing of the right-wing, anti-European Union and anti-immigration Swiss People's Party. The left-wing parties, the Social Democrats and the Greens, also improved their positions. The losers were the parties of the centre and centre-right, the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Free Democratic Party.
In the aftermath of the elections Ruth Metzler-Arnold, one of the two Christian Democrats in the Federal Council was replaced by Christoph Blocher, the most influential politician in the Swiss People's Party.
Electoral system
Switzerland has a bicameral legislature, the Federal Assembly (Assemblée Fédérale / Bundesversammlung / Asamblea Federale / Assemblea Federala).
- The National Council (Conseil National / Nationalrat / Consiglio Nazionale / Cussegl Naziunal) has 200 members, elected for four-year terms by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies corresponding to the 26 Swiss cantons and half-cantons.
- The Council of States (Conseil des Etats / Ständerat / Consiglio degli Stati / Cussegl dals Stadis) has 46 members elected for four-year terms from multi-member and single-member constituencies.
These elections were to the National Council and for most of the members of the Council of States.
All parties in Switzerland have different names in French, German and Italian, and conduct separate campaigns in the different language areas.
Results
National Council
By constituency
| Constituency | Seats | Electorate | Turnout | Party | Votes | Seats won | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aargau | 15 | 363,920 | 153,832 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 778,770 | 6 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 474,727 | 3 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 348,639 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 342,629 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 133,202 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 116,864 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 32,175 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Freedom Party | 5,070 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Nationalist Party | 2,867 | 0 | ||||
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 1 | 36,047 | 17,789 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 7,161 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 6,680 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 3,468 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 131 | 0 | ||||
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 1 | 10,228 | 3,595 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 2,310 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 725 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 300 | 0 | ||||
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 179,186 | 79,248 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 144,624 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 134,620 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 108,566 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 68,652 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 54,769 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 14,707 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 14,554 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Non-Partisan 4Wb | 4,332 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Freedom Party | 1,107 | 0 | ||||
| Basel-Stadt | 5 | 116,361 | 57,735 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 115,492 | 3 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 52,574 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 27,975 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Liberal Party | 23,873 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 18,612 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 16,122 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Strong Alternative Basel | 9,893 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 8,080 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | People's Action | 4,425 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 3,122 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 2,086 | 0 | ||||
| Bern | 26 | 685,159 | 288,679 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 2,180,961 | 8 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 2,058,317 | 8 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 1,089,897 | 4 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 683,025 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 379,099 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 301,886 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 196,458 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 172,639 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Romand List | 143,558 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Freedom Party | 77,436 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Independent Health Party | 64,081 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Action Jörg Stettler | 16,254 | 0 | ||||
| Fribourg | 7 | 164,210 | 74,547 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 128,063 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 108,437 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 107,958 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 64,369 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Social Party | 52,766 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 20,305 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free List - Solidarity | 11,158 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 3,625 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 3,614 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Independent Movement | 2,644 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Direct Access | 1,694 | 0 | ||||
| Geneva | 11 | 219,984 | 101,081 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 268,703 | 3 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 198,586 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Liberal Party | 182,517 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 128,317 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 121,762 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 79,030 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Solidarity | 58,903 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Party of Labour | 29,195 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Union of Swiss Patriots | 10,735 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | The Communists | 7,506 | 0 | ||||
| Glarus | 1 | 24,934 | 6,304 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 3,811 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 701 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 334 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 831 | 0 | ||||
| Grisons | 5 | 129,782 | 50,766 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 81,012 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 59,624 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 56,295 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 37,849 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 4,484 | 0 | ||||
| Jura | 2 | 48,356 | 22,552 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 17,517 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 15,186 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 7,243 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 3,675 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 787 | 0 | ||||
| Lucerne | 10 | 237,537 | 120,970 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 345,791 | 3 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 280,566 | 3 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 271,153 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 130,694 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 115,076 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | CHance21 | 18,352 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 9,505 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 4,137 | 0 | ||||
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 105,235 | 59,925 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 74,551 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 57,279 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 37,800 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Liberal Party | 36,808 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 35,247 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Party of Labour | 7,655 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Solidarity | 5,630 | 0 | ||||
| Nidwalden | 1 | 28,266 | 11,136 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 7,888 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 912 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 111 | 0 | ||||
| Obwalden | 1 | 22,900 | 10,471 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 6,402 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 3,238 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 48,022 | 30,349 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 23,054 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 16,923 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 16,565 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 1,540 | 0 | ||||
| Schwyz | 4 | 89,902 | 43,338 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 72,419 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 38,894 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 29,134 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 25,471 | 0 | ||||
| Solothurn | 7 | 166,052 | 78,689 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 136,667 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 129,086 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 120,967 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 113,193 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 32,283 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 6,445 | 0 | ||||
| St. Gallen | 12 | 291,445 | 124,786 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 486,421 | 4 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 326,104 | 3 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 270,353 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 215,599 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 103,868 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 22,118 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 16,457 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 11,165 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Catholic People's Party | 6,129 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Animal Welfare is Human Protection | 6,054 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Brave and Innovative, One for All | 4,957 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | The East Swiss Party | 1,405 | 0 | ||||
| Ticino | 8 | 198,992 | 96,760 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 218,619 | 2 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 189,427 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 180,320 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Ticino League | 58,428 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 55,652 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 21,765 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Risorgimento ticinese | 9,552 | 0 | ||||
| Thurgau | 6 | 146,431 | 62,771 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 151,591 | 3 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 60,764 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 52,080 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 43,909 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 29,282 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 10,879 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 10,020 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 7,145 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Catholic People's Party | 2,557 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Freedom Party | 1,147 | 1 | ||||
| Uri | 1 | 25,513 | 11,323 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 3,964 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 3,384 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 3,312 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Others | 160 | 0 | ||||
| Vaud | 18 | 373,917 | 172,119 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 604,820 | 4 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 567,015 | 4 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 515,592 | 4 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 315,430 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Liberal Party | 308,437 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Party of Labour | 187,388 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 128,878 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Solidarity | 73,483 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 49,225 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 18,365 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 9,675 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Future + Security | 7,268 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | The Right to Know | 6,843 | 0 | ||||
| Valais | 7 | 190,121 | 101,344 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 259,846 | 3 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 128,428 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 114,910 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 89,834 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Social Party | 62,382 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 17,443 | 0 | ||||
| Zug | 3 | 67,318 | 35,418 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 28,715 | 1 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 23,730 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 23,178 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Alternative Kanton Zug | 14,095 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 13,929 | 0 | ||||
| Zürich | 34 | 810,622 | 365,859 | style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss People's Party | 4,103,136 | 12 |
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Social Democratic Party | 3,153,112 | 10 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Democratic Party | 1,995,988 | 5 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Green Party | 1,040,672 | 3 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Christian Democratic People's Party | 667,236 | 2 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Evangelical People's Party | 504,952 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Alternative List | 266,063 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Federal Democratic Union | 253,322 | 1 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Free Forum | 112,781 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Swiss Democrats | 106,877 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Hanf Ueli | 23,731 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Youth in Parliament! | 19,287 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Europe Party | 12,184 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Freedom Party | 11,364 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Humanist Party | 9,730 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Die-Jugend.ch | 4,206 | 0 | ||||
| style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color" | | Danowski | 3,631 | 0 | ||||
| Source: Bundesblatt, 18 November 2003 | |||||||