Swiss Council of States election, 2007
Encyclopedia
Elections were held to the Council of States of Switzerland
in October and November 2007 as part of the 2007 federal election
. All 46 members of the Council of States were elected from all cantons of Switzerland
. The first round was held on 21 October. In eight cantons, not all seats were filled in the first round, and a second round was held on 11 November, 18 November, or 25 November.
The election was a breakthrough for the Green Party
, which won its first two seats in the Council of States, and the Green Liberal Party
(GLP), which won a seat only four months after it split from the Greens. These gains – the first time minor parties had won representation in the Council of States since 1995 – came at the expense of the Free Democratic Party
, which lost two seats, and the Swiss People's Party
, which lost its seat in its stronghold of Zurich
to the GLP.
The second round saw a number of notable races, for instance the election for the second seat in Zürich, where SP candidate Chantal Galladé agreed to withdraw and support GLP candidate Verena Diener
against SVP candidate Ueli Maurer
, increasing the centre-left's changes in the second round. In St. Gallen, where no one was elected in the first round, FDP candidate Erika Forster and CVP candidate Eugen David, both incumbents, started a common campaign for reelection against SVP candidate Toni Brunner
. Four candidates contested the election for the two seats in Tessin -- Dick Marty
(FDP, over 40,000 votes in the first round), Filippo Lombardi
(CVP), Franco Cavalli (SP) -- both of whom had over 30,000 votes—and finally Attilio Bignasca (Lega). The two incumbents from the FDP and CVP were reelected on 18 November.
The second seat for Lucerne was handed to CVP candidate Konrad Graber in so-called "silent election" when no other candidate filed to run against him in the second round. Graber had narrowly failed to be elected in the first round. The second mandate in Fribourg and Valais was also decided in this way.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in October and November 2007 as part of the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
. All 46 members of the Council of States were elected from all cantons of Switzerland
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
. The first round was held on 21 October. In eight cantons, not all seats were filled in the first round, and a second round was held on 11 November, 18 November, or 25 November.
The election was a breakthrough for the Green Party
Green 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:...
, which won its first two seats in the Council of States, and the Green Liberal Party
Green Liberal Party of Switzerland
The Green Liberal Party of Switzerland , abbreviated to glp, is a centrist Green liberal political party in Switzerland. Founded in 2007, the party holds five seats in the Federal Assembly....
(GLP), which won a seat only four months after it split from the Greens. These gains – the first time minor parties had won representation in the Council of States since 1995 – came at the expense of the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
, which lost two seats, and the Swiss People's Party
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
, which lost its seat in its stronghold of Zurich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
to the GLP.
Election
The Council of States election was not finalized with the first run on 21 October; twelve seats remained to be distributed in second round elections on 11 November, 18 November or 25 November 2007.The second round saw a number of notable races, for instance the election for the second seat in Zürich, where SP candidate Chantal Galladé agreed to withdraw and support GLP candidate Verena Diener
Verena Diener
Verena Diener is a Swiss politician, member of the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland, representing the canton of Zürich in the Swiss Council of States....
against SVP candidate Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer is a member of the Swiss Federal Council and head of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports...
, increasing the centre-left's changes in the second round. In St. Gallen, where no one was elected in the first round, FDP candidate Erika Forster and CVP candidate Eugen David, both incumbents, started a common campaign for reelection against SVP candidate Toni Brunner
Toni Brunner
Toni Brunner is a Swiss farmer, national chairman of the Swiss People's Party and a member of the Swiss National Council.-Biography:...
. Four candidates contested the election for the two seats in Tessin -- Dick Marty
Dick Marty
Dick Marty is a Swiss politician and former state prosecutor of the canton of Ticino. He is a member of the Swiss Council of States , and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.-Education:Marty holds a doctorate in law from the University of Neuchâtel with the thesis:...
(FDP, over 40,000 votes in the first round), Filippo Lombardi
Filippo Lombardi
Filippo Lombardi is an Italian goalkeeper who currently plays for Bologna in Serie A.-External Links:* *...
(CVP), Franco Cavalli (SP) -- both of whom had over 30,000 votes—and finally Attilio Bignasca (Lega). The two incumbents from the FDP and CVP were reelected on 18 November.
The second seat for Lucerne was handed to CVP candidate Konrad Graber in so-called "silent election" when no other candidate filed to run against him in the second round. Graber had narrowly failed to be elected in the first round. The second mandate in Fribourg and Valais was also decided in this way.