The Swiss Democrats (German: Schweizer Demokraten; French: Démocrates Suisses; Italian: Democratici Svizzeri; Romansh: Democrats Svizers) is a nationalist[1] political party in Switzerland. It was called the National Action against the Alienation of the People and the Home (German: Nationale Aktion gegen Überfremdung von Volk und Heimat; NA) until 1977 and the National Action for People and Home (German: Nationale Aktion für Volk und Heimat) until 1990, when it was renamed to its current name.[2]

Swiss Democrats
German nameSchweizer Demokraten
French nameDémocrates Suisses
Italian nameDemocratici Svizzeri
Romansh nameDemocrats Svizers
PresidentAndreas Stahel
Members of the Federal CouncilNone
Founded1961
IdeologySwiss nationalism
Euroscepticism
Political positionRight-wing to far-right[1]
ColoursRed
Website
www.schweizer-demokraten.ch

Swiss Federal Council
Federal Chancellor
Federal Assembly
Council of States (members)
National Council (members)
Voting

History

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The Nationale Aktion was originally a far-right xenophobic movement pursuing an anti-immigration agenda, founded in 1961.[2] The party "emerged as a reaction to the influx of foreign workers", particularly Italians, during this time.[2] The party submitted several popular initiatives that supported reduced immigration, most notably one in June 1970 that narrowly failed.[2] Its first representative in the National Council was James Schwarzenbach, who was first elected in 1967.[2]

After a hostile split with Schwarzenbach in 1971, who formed the Republican Movement, the party lost most of its momentum during the 1970s.[2] It had a strong resurgence in the early 1980s,[3] and it won five seats in the 1991 federal elections, the most it had ever held.[2]

After another hostile split with former president Valentin Oehen in 1986, the party was renamed to its current name in 1990.[2] After 1998, the party lost nearly all significance in national politics because of the absorption of right-wing votes into the growing Swiss People's Party.[2]

In the 2003 federal elections, the party won 1.0% of the vote and one out of 200 seats in the National Council. This seat was lost in the 2007 elections, where the SD fell to 0.5% of the popular vote. After their severe election loss, the party congress decided not to disband but to continue competing in elections, striving to return to parliament.[citation needed]

Federal elections

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Federal Assembly of Switzerland[4][5]
Election # of total votes % of popular vote # of seats won
1967 6,275 0.6% 1
1971 63,781 3.2%   4  
1975 2.5%   2  
1979 1.3%   2  
1983 2.9%   4  
1987 2.5%   3  
1991 69,297   3.4%   5  
1995 59,613   3.1%   3  
1999 35,883   1.8%   1  
2003 20,177   1.0%   1  
2007 12,609   0.5%   0  
2011 0.2%   0  
2015 0.1%   0  
2019 3,202 0.1%   0  
2023 2,030 0.08%   0  

Party presidents

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Source:[6][better source needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2007). "Switzerland". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 12 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Weibel, Andrea. "Schweizer Demokraten (SD)". Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (in German). Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  3. ^ Skenderovic 2009, p. 62.
  4. ^ "Nationalratswahlen: Mandatsverteilung nach Parteien". bfs.admin.ch (in German). December 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  5. ^ "Nationalratswahlen: Stärke der Parteien". bfs.admin.ch (in German). December 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  6. ^ "Geschichte der NA - Schweizer Demokraten". schweizer-demokraten.ch (in German). Retrieved December 16, 2016.

Bibliography

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