BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2019) Switzerland used to be an exception in Europe since, until this Sunday, the Green parties did not make inroads into its political landscape and were barely represented in the parliament unlike in neighboring Germany, Austria or even France where they have all gained more than 10 percent in elections.
This anomaly comes to an end, since Sunday's federal election brought the combined vote of the two Green parties above 20 percent. The left-leaning Green Party's gains surged to 13 percent of the vote, while the centrist Green Liberal Party got 7.6 percent.
All other parties have been losing ground in the wake of the Greens' gains. The right-wing anti-immigration Swiss People's Party (SVP) loses nearly 4 percentage points, albeit remaining the largest party with 25.6 percent.
It is the same for the Socialists coming second with 16.5 percent of the vote and the centre-right Liberals (FDP) with 15.5 percent. The Christian Democrats (CVP) secure 11.8 percent.
For the first time in Swiss history, the Green parties could claim a seat in the seven-member Federal Council - a government that is usually split between the four main parties, namely the SVP, the Socialists, the FDP and the Christian Democrats.
CLIMATE CHANGE EVIDENTLY AFFECTS SWITZERLAND
This year, the election campaign visibly shifted in comparison to 2015. The SVP's push for limiting immigration and ties with the European Union were barely mentioned.
Climate concerns, in contrast, took center stage in the campaign. It is only natural in Switzerland, where glaciers are melting and snowed peaks are losing their white mantle.
Rock and mud slides have happened in several upper valleys and these mud slides of melted ice are threatening mountain villages. It is regularly in the news and contributes a lot to the climate awareness.
Climate change could cause Aletsch, the largest glacier in Switzerland, to vanish by the end of the century. The collapse of a Mont Blanc glacier on the Italian side of the mountain chain was another wake-up call for those who did not care too much.
Despite the progress of the Greens and the center Greens, the overall balance of power will, however, unlikely profoundly change. The parliament will remain dominated by the four major parties in the political spectrum. The Christian Democrats and the Liberals have a clear majority in the upper house, the Council of States. In the Swiss parliamentary system, both houses enjoy equal powers.
The government will be elected on December 11 during the first session of the parliament that came out of the polls this Sunday. Usually, members of parliament are content to confirm ministers to their posts for a new four-year term.
But the green push of this Sunday, more formidable than forecast by the polls, reinforces the two Green parties. The president of the major one, Regula Rytz, believes that the government, in its current composition, no longer corresponds to the current majorities and wants one seat in the Federal Council. Negotiations are now to start.
MEDIOCRE TURNOUT, MANY MORE WOMEN ELECTED
The turnout totaled only 45.1 percent, compared to the 48.5 percent four years ago.
Along with numerous nationwide demonstrations by youngsters who undoubtedly politicized the younger generation of urban areas, the women's national strike of June 14 also did have an influence on the 2019 elections. One of the women's demands was to increase their representation in the national political institutions.
As a result, their representation in the 200-strong lower house will rise to 84 seats, which is 20 more than as per the 2015 election results. In total, women will thereby represent 42 percent of the candidates elected.
Another trend is the rejuvenation of the parliament, with its average age now standing at 49 years, according to Benjamin Biard, a political analyst at Belgium's Centre of Socio-Political Research and Information (CRISP).
MOST EFFECTIVE DEMOCRACY OF THE WORLD?
Switzerland is a country of 8.5 million people, with a very "fat" GDP making it second richest nation in the world per capita. It also has four official languages, though the fourth, Romansch is limited to a single canton.
The country ranks near the top in the world for economic competitiveness and human development. Zurich, Geneva and Basel are considered among the top 10 cities in the world in terms of quality of life.
The Swiss Confederation also has a reputation of being the most democratic country in the world with its system of referendums on all possible topics.
Direct democracy by the people is the hallmark of the political system of Switzerland, where all major parties are also automatically represented in the government. So, there is a permanent dialogue between the left and the right, with each decision being the result of a consensus.
WHAT NEXT WITH 'MAGIC FORMULA' OF GOV'T COMPOSITION
Media show relatively little interest for the Swiss elections, with only surprise in this stable political system being the size of the Greens' gains.
"There is not enough drama in the very well-functioning Swiss system to interest the media. Switzerland is well managed, with our partners of the SVP as the first party in the country, and for the press, success and efficiency doesn't make a good headline. The progress of the Greens was to be expected; no surprise," Filip Dewinter, a Belgian parliament member for the right-wing Flemish nationalist Vlaams Belang party, told Sputnik.
Biard of Belgium's Centre of Socio-Political Research and Information agreed that the election results were predictable though the "Green surge was more important than expected."
The gains by the Greens, the expert noted, are not something new as it was also the case after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The most important thing is, however, how the Greens' gains will affect the composition of the new government.
"It will be interesting to see how the 'magic formula,' the composition of the government will be applied this time. The Greens should get one ministerial position, but taken from what party? Probably from the UDC [the Swiss People's Party] which has two and has lost the highest percentage of voters," Biard said.
According to Biard, an evening when the parliament elects cabinet members is called in Switzerland "the night of the long knives" because "it is usually a very arduous process."
However, once a new government in place, "the system functions without a hitch and has done so for decades," the expert concluded.
