Ring of Independents
Encyclopedia
The Ring of Independents was a Swiss political party that existed between 1936 and 1999.
, Gottlieb Duttweiler
was unsatisfied with the state of Swiss politics in the 1930s and therefore founded the Ring of Independents with a group of like-minded people as an association. It was not meant to be a political party at first but to be an association to help to reconcile capitalists and workers. Nonetheless the party won seven seats in the elecions for the National Council of Switzerland
in 1935 (altohough the seats were won in three cantons only: 5 in Zürich, 1 in St. Gallen and Berne). Since the original plan, to unite the best politicians of all parties in one group, did not work the party Ring of Independents was founded on December 30 1936.
to the National Council of Switzerland, thus becoming the strongest opposition party. The ROI was mainly voted for by urban middle-class voters (blue collar workers, civil servants). Several new local affiliates in different cantons were founded in this time. In the late 1970s a conflict over policy broke out in the party. The traditional opponents of Social market economy
were confronted by a new ecological
wing of the party.
, Car Party).
& Green parties. In the 1990s the party tried unsuccessfully to win back these voters by returning to their social liberal roots. Following numerous election loses and defections of prominent politicians to other parties the ROI disbanded on December 4 1999.
Formation
The founder of MigrosMigros
Migros is one of Switzerland's largest enterprises, its largest supermarket chain and largest employer. It co-founded Turkey's largest retailer, Migros Türk, which became independent of Migros Switzerland in 1975....
, Gottlieb Duttweiler
Gottlieb Duttweiler
Gottlieb Duttweiler was a Swiss businessman and politician, founder of both the Migros chain of grocery stores and the party....
was unsatisfied with the state of Swiss politics in the 1930s and therefore founded the Ring of Independents with a group of like-minded people as an association. It was not meant to be a political party at first but to be an association to help to reconcile capitalists and workers. Nonetheless the party won seven seats in the elecions for the National Council of Switzerland
National Council of Switzerland
The National Council of Switzerland is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. With 200 seats, it is the larger of the two houses....
in 1935 (altohough the seats were won in three cantons only: 5 in Zürich, 1 in St. Gallen and Berne). Since the original plan, to unite the best politicians of all parties in one group, did not work the party Ring of Independents was founded on December 30 1936.
Duttweiler Era
Duttweiler's authoritarian style of leadership combined with his vague political positions lead to a breakaway of leading circles from the party in 1943. These ran as Unabhängig-freie Liste (Eng: Independent- Free List) and won one seat in the elections for the National Council of Switzerland the following autumn. However this breakaway did not manage to exist for long. During the era of Duttweiler the party always won around 5% of the vote. However the party was never successful in the French or Italian speaking regions of Switzerland and in central Switzerland (except in Lucerne).The social liberal phase after Duttweiler
After the death of longtime chairman Duttweiler the party was able to establish itself as a social liberal alternative between the left and the right. It won 9.1% and 16 seats in the 1967 electionsSwiss federal election, 1967
The Swiss federal election, 1967 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1967.- Results :...
to the National Council of Switzerland, thus becoming the strongest opposition party. The ROI was mainly voted for by urban middle-class voters (blue collar workers, civil servants). Several new local affiliates in different cantons were founded in this time. In the late 1970s a conflict over policy broke out in the party. The traditional opponents of Social market economy
Social market economy
The social market economy is the main economic model used in West Germany after World War II. It is based on the economic philosophy of Ordoliberalism from the Freiburg School...
were confronted by a new ecological
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
wing of the party.
The green-social liberal phase
In the mid 1980s the ecological wing of the party became the most dominant. Already in 1982 members of the green and social liberal wings of the party resigned. Since the biggest financial backer of the party, Migros, had ideological problems with the ecologcal wing of the party it massively reduced its donations to the party. Due to financial problems the daily newspaper of the party Die Tat (The Deed) had to be converted to a weekly newspaper. The party lost its profile and its voters switched to new parties and protest groups (Green PartyGreen Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
, Car Party).
Decline and disbandment
The party continued to lose more and more of its voters to the Social DemocraticSocial Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
& Green parties. In the 1990s the party tried unsuccessfully to win back these voters by returning to their social liberal roots. Following numerous election loses and defections of prominent politicians to other parties the ROI disbanded on December 4 1999.
Chairmen
- 1936–1962 Gottlieb DuttweilerGottlieb DuttweilerGottlieb Duttweiler was a Swiss businessman and politician, founder of both the Migros chain of grocery stores and the party....
(Zürich) - 1962–1973 Rudolf Suter (Basel)
- 1973–1978 Claudius Alder (Basel-Country)
- 1978–1985 Walter Biel (Zürich)
- 1985–1992 Franz Jaeger (St. Gallen)
- 1992–1996 Monika Weber (Zürich)
- 1996–1998 Daniel Andres (Berne)
- 1999 Anton Schaller (Zürich)
External links
- Dossier Landesring der Unabhängigen 1987–2003 from Jahrbuch Schweizerische Politik