With exactly one year to go before the federal elections, the Swiss People’s Party, the Radical-Liberal Party, the Liberal Green Party and the Green Party have set out their stalls and their ambitions. The Liberal Greens and the Greens are each claiming a seat in the seven-seat government, the Radical-Liberals are building on their recent successes and the People’s Party is pursuing traditional themes. The right-wing People’s Party said it wants to win another 100,000 votes next October, making its central issues the reduction of immigration, the defence of purchasing power and the fight against climate policy. The People’s Party was the strongest party in the 2019 elections, winning 25.6% of the vote, although this was down from 29.4% four years earlier. Party president Marco Chiesa warned at a delegate conference on Saturday that “a new left turn like in 2019” would mean the end of Switzerland’s prosperity, freedom and independence. Several speakers called for a reduction in...
