# List of political parties in Switzerland

This is a list of political parties in Switzerland.
Switzerland has a multi-party system. Since 1959, the four largest parties have formed a coalition government, according to a Zauberformel or "magic formula". This arithmetic formula divides the seven cabinet seats among representatives of the four largest parties.

## Political parties in Switzerland
### Federal and cantonal parliaments

The following parties are represented in the Swiss Federal Assembly or cantonal parliaments and executive councils as of 2024. For their names in the four national languages of Switzerland, see #Names in the national languages below.
For more detailed information on the political positions of some of the parties listed below, see here: For Swiss political party strength on the municipal level, see here:
| Party | Party | Party | Website | Leader | Main ideology | Position | Members in | Members in | Members in | Members in | Members in | Members in |
| Party | Party | Party | Website | Leader | Main ideology | Position | Federal Council | Council of States | National Council | Cantonal executives | Cantonal legislatures | Members |
| | SVP/UDC | Swiss People's Party | svp.ch | Marco Chiesa | National conservatism | Right-wing | 2 / 7 | 6 / 46 | 62 / 200 | 27 / 154 | 574 / 2,544 | 90,000 (2015) |
| | SP/PS | Social Democratic Party | sp-ps.ch | Cédric Wermuth Mattea Meyer | Social democracy | Centre-left | 2 / 7 | 9 / 46 | 41 / 200 | 28 / 154 | 442 / 2,544 | 30,000 (2015) |
| | FDP/PLR | FDP.The Liberals | fdp.ch | Thierry Burkart | Classical liberalism | Centre to centre-right | 2 / 7 | 11 / 46 | 28 / 200 | 38 / 154 | 512 / 2,544 | 120,000 (2015) |
| | DM/LC/AdC | The Centre | die-mitte.ch | Gerhard Pfister | Christian democracy | Centre to centre-right | 1 / 7 | 15 / 46 | 29 / 200 | 40 / 154 | 425 / 2,544 | - |
| | GPS/PES | Green Party | gruene.ch | Balthasar Glättli | Green politics | Centre-left to left-wing | 0 / 7 | 3 / 46 | 23 / 200 | 7 / 154 | 249 / 2,544 | 7,500 (2015) |
| | GLP/PVL | Green Liberal Party | grunliberale.ch | Jürg Grossen | Green liberalism | Centre | 0 / 7 | 1 / 46 | 10 / 200 | 2 / 154 | 154 / 2,544 | 3,800 (2015) |
| | EVP/PEV | Evangelical People's Party | evppev.ch | Lilian Studer | Christian democracy | Centre | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 2 / 200 | 1 / 154 | 42 / 2,544 | 4,600 (2015) |
| | Lega | Ticino League | lega-dei-ticinesi.ch | Attilio Bignasca | Ticino regionalism | Right-wing | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 1 / 200 | 2 / 154 | 14 / 2,544 | 1,500 (2015) |
| | CSP OW | Christian Social Party of Obwalden | csp-ow.ch | Christian Schäli Sepp Stalder | Christian left | Centre-left | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 154 | 1 / 154 | 6 / 2,544 | 250 (2015) |
| | PdA/PST/POP | Swiss Party of Labour | pst-pop.ch | Norberto Crivelli | Communism | Left-wing to far-left | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 200 | 0 / 154 | 13 / 2,544 | |
| | MCG | Geneva Citizens' Movement | mcge.ch | Ana Roch | Geneva regionalism | Right-wing | 0 / 7 | 1 / 46 | 2 / 200 | 0 / 154 | 14 / 2,544 | 1,500 (2015) |
| | Sol | Solidarity | solidarites.ch | – | Anti-capitalism | Left-wing to far-left | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 200 | 1 / 154 | 0 / 2,544 | |
| | EDU/UDF | Federal Democratic Union | edu-schweiz.ch | Hans Moser | Right-wing populism | Right-wing | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 2 / 200 | 0 / 154 | 21 / 2,544 | 3,000 (2011) |
| | CSP/PCS | Christian Social Party | csp-pcs.ch | Marius Achermann | Christian left | Centre-left | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 200 | 1 / 154 | 14 / 2,544 | 1,500 (2011) |
| | AL-ZH | Alternative List | al-zh.ch | – | Socialism | Left-wing | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 200 | 0 / 154 | 0 / 2,544 | |
| | AL-BE | Alternative Left Bern | al-be.ch | – | Democratic socialism | Left-wing | 0 / 7 | 0 / 46 | 0 / 200 | 0 / 154 | 10 / 2,544 | 2,000 (2011) |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 7 | 46 | 200 | 154 | 2,544 | |

### Minor parties

The following groups or parties are not represented at either the cantonal or national level (but may hold positions in municipal parliaments).
| Abbr. | Name | Leader | Ideology | Founded | Popular vote |
| PPS | Pirate Party | Jorgo Ananiadis | Pirate politics, liberalism | 2009 | 0.27% (2019) |
| SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | Dr. Michel Dupont, Christoph Spiess | Right-wing, national conservatism | 1961 | 0.13% (2019) |
| SLB/MSL | Social Liberal Movement | Samuel Schmid | Centre-right, social conservatism | 2011 | 0.1% (2015) |
| LP/PL | Libertarian Party | Martin Hartmann | Libertarianism | 2014 | 0.01% (2019) |
| FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | Daniele Weber | Right-wing, national liberalism | 1984 | n/a |
| HPS/PHS | Swiss Humanist Party | Daniel Horowitz | Humanist Movement | 1984 | n/a |
| KVP | Catholic People's Party | Lukas Brühwiler-Frésey | Catholic social teaching | 1994 | n/a |
| TPS/PSpA | Tierpartei Schweiz | Thomas Märki | Animal rights | 2010 | 0.15% (2015) |
| | Parteifrei | Lukas Harder | Voluntary association of independent politicians formed for the 2011 elections; opposing party politics | 2011 | 0.19% (2015) |
| | MontagnaViva | Germano Mattei | Regionalism (Alpine Ticino) | 2011 | 0.08% (2015) |
| | Alpenparlament | | Alternative medicine | 2011 | 0.06% (2015) |
| | Konfessionslose | | Separation of church and state | 2011 | 0.05% (2015) |
| | Volksaktion | Eric Weber | Right-wing populism (Basel-Stadt) | 2002 | 0.03% (2015) |
| | La gauche combative | | Communism (Geneva) | 2002 | 0.03% (2015) |
| | Les Rauraques | | Jura separatism (Bernese Jura) | 2011 | 0.03% (2015) |
| | Mass-Voll | Nicolas Rimoldi | Right-Wing, Opponents of Covid-19 measures | 2021 | 0.53% (2023) |

### Historical parties

| Name | Ideology | Active | Continued as |
| Christian Democratic People's Party | Christian democracy, Social conservatism, Support for EU Bilateral Accords | 1912–2020 | merged to The Centre |
| Communist Party of Switzerland | Communism | 1921–1940 | Swiss Party of Labour |
| Communist Party of Switzerland/Marxist–Leninists | Communism | 1969–1987 | Libertarian Socialist Party |
| Communist Party Opposition | Communism | 1930–1935 | Social Democratic Party of Switzerland |
| Conservative Democratic Party | Centre to Centre-right, Conservative liberalism | 2008-2020 | merged to The Centre |
| Democratic Party | Direct democracy | 1860–1971 | merged to Swiss People's Party |
| Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB) | Conservatism, Agrarianism | 1936–1971 | merged to Swiss People's Party |
| Eidgenössische Sammlung | Fascism | 1940–1943 | |
| Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (FDP/PRD/PLR) | Classical liberalism, Radicalism | 1894–2009 | merged to The Liberals |
| Liberal Party of Switzerland (LPS/PLS) | Classical liberalism | 1913–2009 | merged to The Liberals |
| National Front | Fascism/nationalism | 1930s | Eidgenössische Sammlung |
| National Movement of Switzerland (NBS) | Nazism | 1940–1941 | |
| National Union | Fascism | 1932–1940 | |
| Progressive Organizations of Switzerland (POCH) | Communism | 1969–1993 | |
| Republican Movement | Right-wing populism, Christian right | 1971–1989 | |
| Ring of Independents (LdU) | Centrism | 1936–1999 | |
| Swiss Nationalist Party | Far-right, ethnic nationalism | 2000–2022 | |
| Volkspartei der Schweiz (VPS) | Neo-Nazism | 1950s | |

## Names in the national languages

| Abbr. | Party | German | French | Italian | Romansh |
| SVP/UDC | Swiss People's Party | Schweizerische Volkspartei (SVP) | Union démocratique du Centre (UDC) | Unione Democratica di Centro (UDC) | Partida populara Svizra (PPS) |
| SP/PS | Social Democratic Party | Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz (SP) | Parti socialiste suisse (PS) | Partito Socialista Svizzero (PS) | Partida socialdemocratica da la Svizra (PS) |
| FDP/PRD | Free Democratic Party | Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz (FDP) | Parti radical-démocratique suisse (PRD) | Partito Liberale Radicale (PLR) | Partida liberaldemocrata da la Svizra (PLD) |
| Mitte/Centre | The Centre | Die Mitte (DM) | Le Centre (LC) | Alleanza del Centro (AdC) | Allianza dal Center (AdC) |
| GPS/PES | Green Party | Grüne Partei der Schweiz (Die Grünen) | Parti écologiste suisse (Les Verts) | Partito Ecologista Svizzero (I Verdi) | Partida ecologica svizra (Ils Verds) |
| CSP/PCS | Christian Social Party | Christlich-soziale Partei (CSP) | Parti chrétien-social (PCS) | Partito Cristiano Sociale (PCS) | Partida cristiansociala da la Svizra (PCS) |
| CVP/PDC | Christian Democratic People's Party | Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz (CVP) | Parti démocrate-chrétien suisse (PDC) | Partito Popolare Democratico (PPD) | Partida Cristian-democratica da la Svizra (PCD) |
| BDP/PBD | Conservative Democratic Party | Bürgerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz (BDP) | Parti bourgeois démocratique Suisse (PBD) | Partito borghese democratico Svizzera (PBD) | Partida burgais democratica Svizra (PBD) |
| EVP/PEV | Evangelical People's Party | Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz (EVP) | Parti évangelique suisse (PEV) | Partito Evangelico Svizzero (PE) | Partida evangelica svizra (PEV) |
| FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz (FPS) | Parti suisse de la liberté (PSL) | Partito svizzero della Libertà (PSL) | Partida svizra da la libertad (PSL) |
| LPS/PLS | Liberal Party | Liberale Partei der Schweiz (LPS) | Parti libéral suisse (PLS) | Partito Liberale Svizzero (PLS) | Partida liberal-conservativa Svizra (PLC) |
| AL | Alternative Left | Alternative Linke (AL) | La Gauche (LG) | La Sinistra (LS) | Alternativa sanestra (AS) |
| SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | Schweizer Demokraten (SD) | Démocrates suisses (DS) | Democratici Svizzeri (DS) | Democrats svizers (DS) |
| Lega | Ticino League | Liga der Tessiner | Ligue des Tessinois | Lega dei Ticinesi | Liga dals Tessinais |
| EDU/UDF | Federal Democratic Union | Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union (EDU) | Union démocratique fédérale (UDF) | Unione Democratica Federale (UDF) | Uniun democrata federala (UDF) |
| PdA/PST | Swiss Party of Labour | Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz (PdA) | Parti suisse du travail – Parti ouvrier et populaire (PST-POP) | Partito Svizzero del Lavoro – Partito Operaio e Popolare (PC) | Partida svizra da la lavur (PdL) |
| GLP/PVL | Green Liberal Party | Grünliberale Partei der Schweiz (GLP) | Parti vert'libéral (PVL) | Partito Verde Liberale (PVL) | Partida verda-liberala (PVL) |
| MCG | Geneva Citizens' Movement | Genfer Bürgerbewegung | Mouvement citoyens genevois (MCG) | Movimento dei Cittadini Ginevrini | |
| CSP OW | Christian Social Party of Obwalden | Christlichsoziale Partei Obwalden (CSP OW) | Parti chrétien-social d'Obwald | | |
| Sol | Solidarity | Solidarität | solidaritéS | Solidarità | Solidaritad |
| SLB/MSL | Social Liberal Movement | Sozial-Liberale Bewegung | Mouvement socio-libéral | Movimento social-liberale | |
| SD/DS | Swiss Democrats | Schweizer Demokraten (SD) | Démocrates suisses (DS) | Democratici Svizzeri (DS) | Democrats svizers (DS) |
| FPS/PSL | Freedom Party | Freiheits-Partei der Schweiz | Parti suisse de la liberté | Partito svizzero della Libertà | Partida Svizra da la Libertad |
| HPS/PHS | Swiss Humanist Party | Humanistische Partei der Schweiz | Parti Humaniste de la Suisse | Partito Umanista della Svizzera | Partida umanistica da la Svizra |
| KVP | Catholic People's Party | Katholische Volkspartei | Parti populaire catholique | Partito Popolare Cattolico | Partida populara catolica |
| PPS | Pirate Party | Piratenpartei Schweiz | Parti Pirate Suisse | Partito Pirata Svizzera | Partida da Pirats Svizra |
| TPS/PSpA | Tierpartei Schweiz | Tierpartei Schweiz (TPS) | Parti suisse pour les animaux (PSpA) | Partito svizzero per gli animali (PSpA) | Partida svizra d'animals (PSA) |
| up! | The Swiss Independence Party up! | Unabhängigkeitspartei up! | Parti suisse de l'indépendance | up! Switzerland | up! Switzerland |
Sources: The Swiss Federal Chancellery

## Relative importance
### At the federal level

* Composition of the National Council by political party, 1919–2023
* Composition of the Federal Council by political party, 1919–2017