# 1979 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 21 October 1979. The Social Democratic Party and the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest parties in the National Council, both winning 51 of the 200 seats.

## Results
### National Council

| | Social Democratic Party | 447,990 | 24.44 | 51 | –4 |
| | Free Democratic Party | 440,099 | 24.01 | 51 | +4 |
| | Christian Democratic People's Party | 390,281 | 21.29 | 44 | –2 |
| | Swiss People's Party | 212,705 | 11.60 | 23 | +2 |
| | Alliance of Independents | 74,623 | 4.07 | 8 | –3 |
| | Liberal Party | 51,258 | 2.80 | 8 | +2 |
| | Evangelical People's Party | 40,744 | 2.22 | 3 | 0 |
| | Swiss Party of Labour | 38,187 | 2.08 | 3 | –1 |
| | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 31,128 | 1.70 | 2 | +2 |
| | National Action | 24,257 | 1.32 | 2 | 0 |
| | Republican Movement | 11,587 | 0.63 | 1 | –3 |
| | Green Party | 11,583 | 0.63 | 1 | +1 |
| | Autonomous Socialist Party | 8,147 | 0.44 | 1 | 0 |
| | Federal Democratic Union | 4,626 | 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| | Feminist and Green Alternative Groups | 3,236 | 0.18 | 0 | – |
| | Other parties | 42,740 | 2.33 | 2 | – |
| Total | Total | 1,833,191 | 100.00 | 200 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,833,191 | 98.74 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 23,460 | 1.26 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 1,856,651 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,864,285 | 48.05 | | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

#### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Electorate | Turnout | Party | Votes | Seats won |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Social Democratic Party | 467,304 | 4 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 380,057 | 4 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Free Democratic Party | 347,187 | 3 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Swiss People's Party | 234,691 | 2 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Ring of Independents | 93,658 | 1 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Evangelical People's Party | 85,202 | 0 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Republican Movement | 36,056 | 0 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | National Action | 27,145 | 0 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 15,212 | 0 |
| Aargau | 14 | 268,819 | 122,659 | Social Liberal European Federalist Party | 3,656 | 0 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 1 | 8,174 | 1,964 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 1,853 | 1 |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 1 | 8,174 | 1,964 | Others | 54 | 0 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Social Democratic Party | 126,256 | 2 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Free Democratic Party | 107,104 | 2 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 46,284 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Swiss People's Party | 42,341 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Ring of Independents | 31,500 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 28,506 | 0 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Evangelical People's Party | 15,472 | 0 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 7 | 134,554 | 57,940 | Party of Labour | 4,118 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Social Democratic Party | 128,153 | 3 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Free Democratic Party | 54,225 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 53,570 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Liberal Party | 43,148 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 39,576 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Ring of Independents | 29,103 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Party of Labour | 17,963 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | National Action | 15,132 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 3,082 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 140,392 | 55,356 | Social Liberal European Federalist Party | 400 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Swiss People's Party | 2,689,061 | 10 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Social Democratic Party | 2,604,568 | 9 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Free Democratic Party | 1,532,680 | 6 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | National Action | 305,344 | 1 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Evangelical People's Party | 287,246 | 1 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Ring of Independents | 263,902 | 1 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Entente Jurassienne | 238,793 | 1 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 211,171 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 117,994 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Federal Democratic Union | 100,099 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Democratic Alternative | 92,612 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Citizens' List Against the Accumulation of Offices | 26,979 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Party of Labour | 22,161 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Republican Movement | 16,895 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 16,504 | 0 |
| Bern | 29 | 601,067 | 299,125 | Social Liberal European Federalist Party | 7,020 | 0 |
| Fribourg | 6 | 115,172 | 56,020 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 131,487 | 3 |
| Fribourg | 6 | 115,172 | 56,020 | Social Democratic Party | 101,272 | 2 |
| Fribourg | 6 | 115,172 | 56,020 | Free Democratic Party | 75,731 | 1 |
| Fribourg | 6 | 115,172 | 56,020 | Swiss People's Party | 21,237 | 0 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Social Democratic Party | 156,909 | 3 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Liberal Party | 155,489 | 2 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Party of Labour | 145,154 | 2 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Free Democratic Party | 107,497 | 2 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 102,239 | 1 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Vigilance | 47,865 | 1 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 10,936 | 0 |
| Geneva | 11 | 182,765 | 68,654 | National Action | 4,428 | 0 |
| Glarus | 1 | 22,726 | 8,037 | Swiss People's Party | 6,394 | 1 |
| Glarus | 1 | 22,726 | 8,037 | Others | 1,423 | 0 |
| Grisons | 5 | 100,685 | 46,168 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 79,143 | 2 |
| Grisons | 5 | 100,685 | 46,168 | Free Democratic Party | 51,169 | 1 |
| Grisons | 5 | 100,685 | 46,168 | Swiss People's Party | 47,280 | 1 |
| Grisons | 5 | 100,685 | 46,168 | Social Democratic Party | 45,878 | 1 |
| Jura | 2 | 40,981 | 24,010 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 17,901 | 1 |
| Jura | 2 | 40,981 | 24,010 | People's List for Jurassic Unity | 14,923 | 1 |
| Jura | 2 | 40,981 | 24,010 | Free Democratic Party | 14,709 | 0 |
| Lucerne | 9 | 182,390 | 107,952 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 480,552 | 5 |
| Lucerne | 9 | 182,390 | 107,952 | Free Democratic Party | 302,011 | 3 |
| Lucerne | 9 | 182,390 | 107,952 | Social Democratic Party | 119,289 | 1 |
| Lucerne | 9 | 182,390 | 107,952 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 48,860 | 0 |
| Lucerne | 9 | 182,390 | 107,952 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 1,855 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Social Democratic Party | 76,115 | 2 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Liberal Party | 53,729 | 2 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Free Democratic Party | 41,855 | 1 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Party of Labour | 15,649 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Ring of Independents | 9,732 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 3,360 | 0 |
| Neuchâtel | 5 | 97,241 | 42,059 | Democratic Alternative | 2,941 | 0 |
| Nidwalden | 1 | 18,345 | 10,951 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 5,318 | 1 |
| Nidwalden | 1 | 18,345 | 10,951 | Free Democratic Party | 4,189 | 0 |
| Nidwalden | 1 | 18,345 | 10,951 | Social Democratic Party | 1,135 | 0 |
| Nidwalden | 1 | 18,345 | 10,951 | Others | 96 | 0 |
| Obwalden | 1 | 10,060 | 6,796 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 4,209 | 1 |
| Obwalden | 1 | 10,060 | 6,796 | Others | 188 | 0 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Social Democratic Party | 21,662 | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Free Democratic Party | 19,787 | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Swiss People's Party | 12,957 | 0 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Evangelical People's Party | 3,856 | 0 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 3,511 | 0 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 42,953 | 32,240 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 564 | 0 |
| Schwyz | 3 | 58,170 | 28,281 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 40,832 | 2 |
| Schwyz | 3 | 58,170 | 28,281 | Free Democratic Party | 23,183 | 1 |
| Schwyz | 3 | 58,170 | 28,281 | Social Democratic Party | 18,697 | 0 |
| Solothurn | 7 | 138,097 | 78,551 | Free Democratic Party | 210,598 | 3 |
| Solothurn | 7 | 138,097 | 78,551 | Social Democratic Party | 153,438 | 2 |
| Solothurn | 7 | 138,097 | 78,551 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 148,776 | 2 |
| Solothurn | 7 | 138,097 | 78,551 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 21,982 | 0 |
| Solothurn | 7 | 138,097 | 78,551 | Party of Labour | 5,160 | 0 |
| St. Gallen | 12 | 231,681 | 104,269 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 542,444 | 6 |
| St. Gallen | 12 | 231,681 | 104,269 | Free Democratic Party | 339,587 | 3 |
| St. Gallen | 12 | 231,681 | 104,269 | Social Democratic Party | 221,052 | 2 |
| St. Gallen | 12 | 231,681 | 104,269 | Ring of Independents | 101,333 | 1 |
| St. Gallen | 12 | 231,681 | 104,269 | Evangelical People's Party | 26,102 | 0 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Free Democratic Party | 250,842 | 3 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 235,760 | 3 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Social Democratic Party | 104,884 | 1 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Autonomous Socialist Party | 64,845 | 1 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Party of Labour | 18,848 | 0 |
| Ticino | 8 | 150,693 | 90,519 | Swiss People's Party | 15,882 | 0 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Swiss People's Party | 80,645 | 2 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 75,144 | 2 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Social Democratic Party | 68,381 | 1 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Free Democratic Party | 51,507 | 1 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Ring of Independents | 16,054 | 0 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Republican Movement | 6,142 | 0 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | National Action | 5,834 | 0 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 106,712 | 51,537 | Social Liberal European Federalist Party | 1,218 | 0 |
| Uri | 1 | 21,549 | 12,112 | Free Democratic Party | 4,462 | 1 |
| Uri | 1 | 21,549 | 12,112 | Social Democratic Party | 2,635 | 0 |
| Uri | 1 | 21,549 | 12,112 | Others | 4,348 | 0 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Free Democratic Party | 488,268 | 5 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Social Democratic Party | 449,401 | 5 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Liberal Party | 301,754 | 3 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Party of Labour | 168,088 | 1 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Swiss People's Party | 122,621 | 1 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Green Party | 115,465 | 1 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 91,630 | 0 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Constitution and Liberty Movement | 29,149 | 0 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 23,138 | 0 |
| Vaud | 16 | 310,274 | 115,657 | Ring of Independents | 14,463 | 0 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 356,727 | 4 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Free Democratic Party | 137,383 | 2 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Social Democratic Party | 70,086 | 1 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Critical Oberwallis | 15,423 | 0 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Social Independent Movement | 10,901 | 0 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Non-Partisan Movement for Democracy and Progress | 8,593 | 0 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Liberal Party | 4,970 | 0 |
| Valais | 7 | 135,196 | 88,789 | Alliance of Conservatives, Radicals and Socialists | 2,499 | 0 |
| Zug | 2 | 44,143 | 24,681 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 16,710 | 1 |
| Zug | 2 | 44,143 | 24,681 | Free Democratic Party | 16,062 | 1 |
| Zug | 2 | 44,143 | 24,681 | Social Democratic Party | 15,137 | 0 |
| Zug | 2 | 44,143 | 24,681 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 1,088 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Social Democratic Party | 2,943,873 | 10 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Free Democratic Party | 2,489,440 | 9 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Swiss People's Party | 1,607,460 | 5 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Ring of Independents | 1,241,695 | 4 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Christian Democratic People's Party | 1,080,046 | 3 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Evangelical People's Party | 630,485 | 2 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | National Action | 279,222 | 1 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Swiss Progressive Organisations | 254,429 | 1 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Green Party | 149,069 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Party of Labour | 133,483 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Republican Movement | 100,728 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Hopp Schwiiz! | 78,476 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Federal Democratic Union | 39,058 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Liberal Socialists | 34,463 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Revolutionary Marxist League | 28,735 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Social Liberal European Federalist Party | 18,097 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | Christians at the Gotthard | 7,682 | 0 |
| Zürich | 35 | 694,321 | 322,362 | European Federalist Party | 5,030 | 0 |
| Source: Bundesblatt, 4 December 1979 ||||||||

### Council of the States

| | Christian Democratic People's Party | 18 | +1 |
| | Free Democratic Party | 11 | –4 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 9 | +4 |
| | Swiss People's Party | 5 | 0 |
| | Liberal Party | 3 | +2 |
| | Alliance of Independents | 0 | –1 |
| Total | Total | 46 | +2 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||