# 2007 Swiss Council of States election

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.

## Results

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 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.
| | Christian Democratic People's Party | 15 | 0 |
| | Free Democratic Party | 12 | –2 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 9 | 0 |
| | Swiss People's Party | 7 | –1 |
| | Green Party | 2 | +2 |
| | Green Liberal Party | 1 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 46 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||

### By canton
#### Appenzell Ausserrhoden

2007 Council of States election: Appenzell Ausserrhoden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Free Democrats | Hans Altherr | 10,880 | 87.9 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 1,012 | 8.2 |
| | Independent | Edgar Bischof | 310 | 2.5 |
| | Independent | Ivo Müller | 98 | 0.8 |
| | Independent | Matthias Weishaupt | 84 | 0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,384 | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing | |

#### Appenzell Innerrhoden

2007 Council of States election: Appenzell Innerrhoden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Ivo Bischofberger | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Aargau

2007 Council of States election: Aargau :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Free Democrats | Christine Egerszegi-Obrist | 98,961 | 29.5 |
| | Swiss People's | Maximilian Reimann | 92,814 | 27.6 |
| | Social Democrats | Pascale Bruderer | 62,780 | 18.7 |
| | Greens | Geri Müller | 31,417 | 9.4 |
| | Christian Democrats | Esther Egger | 2,3843 | 7.1 |
| | Evangelical People's | Heiner Studer | 16,884 | 5.0 |
| | Independent | Pius Lischer | 6,152 | 1.8 |
| | Independent | René Bertschinger | 3,147 | 0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 335,998 | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing | |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing | |

#### Basel-Landschaft

2007 Council of States election: Basel-Landschaft :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Claude Janiak | 47,473 | 58.5 |
| | Swiss People's | Erich Straumann | 28,054 | 34.6 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 5,618 | 6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81,145 | |
| | Social Democrats gain from Free Democrats | Social Democrats gain from Free Democrats | Swing | |

#### Basel-Stadt

2007 Council of States election: Basel-Stadt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Anita Fetz | 32,736 | 60.4 |
| | Liberals | Andreas Albrecht | 17,344 | 32.0 |
| | Independent | Eric Weber | 3,631 | 6.7 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 460 | 0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,171 | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | |

#### Bern

2007 Council of States election: Bern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Simonetta Sommaruga | 164,557 | 29.1 |
| | Swiss People's | Werner Luginbühl | 143,347 | 25.3 |
| | Greens | Franziska Teuscher | 108,597 | 19.2 |
| | Free Democrats | Dora Andres | 108,017 | 19.1 |
| | Evangelical People's | Walter Donzé | 17,789 | 3.1 |
| | Federal Democrats | Christian Waber | 14,374 | 2.5 |
| | Swiss Democrats | Adrian Wyss | 9,073 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 565,754 | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing | |

#### Fribourg

2007 Council of States election: Fribourg – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Christian Democrats | Urs Schwaller | 47,202 | 37.1 |
| | Social Democrats | Alain Berset | 35,068 | 27.6 |
| | Free Democrats | Jean-Claude Cornu | 25,165 | 19.8 |
| | Swiss People's | Jean-François Rime | 19,782 | 15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 127,217 | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing | |
2007 Council of States election: Fribourg – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Social Democrats | Alain Berset | | | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | | |

#### Geneva

2007 Council of States election: Geneva :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Liliane Maury Pasquier | 49,046 | 26.6 |
| | Greens | Robert Cramer | 45,452 | 24.7 |
| | Liberals | Martine Brunschwig Graf | 37,964 | 20.6 |
| | Christian Democrats | Jean-Pierre Jobin | 26,816 | 14.6 |
| | Swiss People's | Soli Pardo | 22,014 | 11.9 |
| | Independent | Claude Tamborini | 3,000 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 184,292 | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | |
| | Greens gain from Free Democrats | Greens gain from Free Democrats | Swing | |

#### Glarus

2007 Council of States election: Glarus :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Free Democrats | Fritz Schiesser | 6,380 | 44.8 |
| | Swiss People's | This Jenny | 6,024 | 42.3 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 1,834 | 12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,238 | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing | |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing | |

#### Graubünden

2007 Council of States election: Graubünden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Swiss People's | Christoffel Brändli | 27,923 | 44.4 |
| | Christian Democrats | Theo Maissen | 21,257 | 33.8 |
| | Social Democrats | Johannes Pfenninger | 8,558 | 13.6 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 5,139 | 8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,877 | |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing | |

#### Jura

2007 Council of States election: Jura :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Claude Hêche | 7,965 | 18.9 |
| | Christian Democrats | Anne Seydoux-Christe | 6,322 | 15.0 |
| | Christian Democrats | Madeleine Amgwerd | 5,992 | 14.2 |
| | Social Democrats | Christophe Berdat | 5,907 | 14.0 |
| | Christian Social | Pierre-Olivier Cattin | 3,079 | 7.3 |
| | Free Democrats | Jean-Frédéric Gerber | 2,968 | 7.0 |
| | Swiss People's | Frédéric Juillerat | 2,869 | 6.8 |
| | Swiss People's | Olivier Allimann | 2,804 | 6.7 |
| | Free Democrats | Pascal Haenni | 2,194 | 5.2 |
| | Christian Social | Pascal Prince | 2,052 | 4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,152 | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing | |

#### Lucerne

2007 Council of States election: Lucerne – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Free Democrats | Helen Leumann-Würsch | 65,269 | 29.6 |
| | Christian Democrats | Konrad Graber | 60,464 | 27.4 |
| | Swiss People's | Josef Kunz | 36,302 | 16.5 |
| | Social Democrats | Prisca Birrer-Heimo | 26,595 | 12.1 |
| | Greens | Heidi Rebsamen | 23,925 | 10.8 |
| | Swiss People's | Pirmin Müller | 8,001 | 3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 220,556 | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing | |
2007 Council of States election: Luzern – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Christian Democrats | Konrad Graber | | | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing | | |

#### Neuchâtel

2007 Council of States election: Neuchâtel – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrats | Gisèle Ory | 17,155 | 15.3 |
| | Free Democrats | Didier Burkhalter | 16,927 | 15.1 |
| | Social Democrats | Pierre Bonhôte | 15,366 | 13.7 |
| | Swiss People's | Yvan Perrin | 15,026 | 13.4 |
| | Liberals | Sylvie Perrinjaquet | 11,811 | 10.5 |
| | Swiss People's | Jean-Charles Legrix | 10,663 | 9.5 |
| | Labour | Denis de la Reussille | 8,351 | 7.4 |
| | Greens | Francine John-Calame | 5,008 | 4.5 |
| | solidaritéS | Marianne Ebel | 4,045 | 3.6 |
| | Greens | Blaise Horisberger | 3,642 | 3.2 |
| | Christian Democrats | Vincent Martinez | 1,926 | 1.7 |
| | Christian Democrats | Mauro Nanini | 1,845 | 1.7 |
| | Independent | Jäggi Lukas | 341 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 112,106 | |
2007 Council of States election: Neuchâtel – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Free Democrats | Didier Burkhalter | 28,710 | 35.7 |
| | Social Democrats | Gisèle Ory | 27,617 | 34.4 |
| | Social Democrats | Pierre Bonhôte | 24,050 | 29.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 80,377 | |
| | Free Democrats gain from Social Democrats | Free Democrats gain from Social Democrats | Swing | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing | |

#### Nidwalden

2007 Council of States election: Nidwalden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Paul Niederberger | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Obwalden

2007 Council of States election: Obwalden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Hans Hess | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Schaffhausen

2007 Council of States election: Schaffhausen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Peter Briner | 16,831 |
| | Swiss People's | Hannes Germann | 16,774 |
| | Greens | Hans Jakob Gloor | 6,481 |
| | Social Democrats | Sabine Spross | 6,196 |
| | Alternative List | Florian Keller | 3,279 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 1,655 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing |

#### Schwyz

2007 Council of States election: Schwyz :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Swiss People's | Alex Kuprecht | 22,950 |
| | Christian Democrats | Bruno Frick | 21,647 |
| | Christian Democrats | Alois Kessler | 13,690 |
| | Free Democrats | Ueli Metzger | 11,396 |
| | Social Democrats | Patrick Nauer | 5,006 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 715 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Solothurn

2007 Council of States election: Solothurn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Rolf Büttiker | 50,433 |
| | Social Democrats | Ernst Leuenberger | 45,911 |
| | Christian Democrats | Annelies Peduzzi | 35,470 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing |

#### St. Gallen

2007 Council of States election: St. Gallen – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Swiss People's | Toni Brunner | 61,648 |
| | Christian Democrats | Eugen David | 59,488 |
| | Free Democrats | Erika Forster-Vannini | 55,462 |
| | Social Democrats | Kathrin Hilber | 43,278 |
| | Greens | Yvonne Gilli | 22,824 |
| | Swiss Democrats | Thomas Meinrad Manser | 6,280 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 2,930 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
2007 Council of States election: St. Gallen – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Erika Forster-Vannini | 84,547 |
| | Christian Democrats | Eugen David | 80,484 |
| | Swiss People's | Toni Brunner | 68,667 |
| | Swiss Democrats | Thomas Meinrad Manser | 7,940 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 946 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Thurgau

2007 Council of States election: Thurgau :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Philipp Stähelin | 45,097 |
| | Swiss People's | Hermann Bürgi | 44,170 |
| | Greens | Isabella Stäheli-Tobler | 14,449 |
| | Social Democrats | Walter Hugentobler | 14,176 |
| | Independent | Gabriela Coray | 8,845 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 2,685 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Swiss People's hold | Swiss People's hold | Swing |

#### Ticino

2007 Council of States election: Ticino – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Dick Marty | 41,428 |
| | Christian Democrats | Filippo Lombardi | 33,513 |
| | Social Democrats | Franco Cavalli | 33,068 |
| | Ticino League | Attilio Bignasca | 21,410 |
| | Swiss People's | Pierre Rusconi | 12,144 |
| | Independent | Matteo Gianini | 1,878 |
| | Federal Democrats | Edo Pellegrini | 1,463 |
| | Independent | Cortonesi Rivo | 363 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
2007 Council of States election: Ticino – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Dick Marty | 40,088 |
| | Christian Democrats | Filippo Lombardi | 38,177 |
| | Social Democrats | Franco Cavalli | 32,786 |
| | Ticino League | Attilio Bignasca | 18,346 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Uri

2007 Council of States election: Uri :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Hansruedi Stadler | 5,038 |
| | Christian Democrats | Hansheiri Inderkum | 4,937 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 697 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Valais

2007 Council of States election: Valais – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Jean-René Fournier | 54,352 |
| | Christian Democrats | René Imoberdorf | 45,092 |
| | Free Democrats | Léonard Bender | 22,389 |
| | Social Democrats | Peter Jossen-Zinsstag | 18,128 |
| | Swiss People's | Jean-Luc Addor | 13,274 |
| | Swiss People's | Lukas Jäger | 12,257 |
| | Greens | Christophe Clivaz | 11,027 |
| | Independent | Michel Carron | 1,382 |
| | Independent | Gerlinde Marlene Bass-Bärenfaller | 1,334 |
| | Independent | Claude Bourquin | 961 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |
2007 Council of States election: Valais – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | René Imoberdorf | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Vaud

2007 Council of States election: Vaud – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Charles Favre | 65,439 |
| | Swiss People's | Guy Parmelin | 65,186 |
| | Social Democrats | Géraldine Savary | 54,192 |
| | Greens | Luc Recordon | 42,998 |
| | Christian Democrats | Jacques Neirynck | 17,952 |
| | Labour | Marianne Huguenin | 13,795 |
| | Labour | Josef Zisyadis | 12,456 |
| | solidaritéS | Jean-Michel Dolivo | 5,180 |
| | Federal Democrats | Maximilien Bernhard | 3,616 |
| | solidaritéS | Naima Topkiran | 2,728 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 951 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
2007 Council of States election: Vaud – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Social Democrats | Géraldine Savary | 88,056 |
| | Greens | Luc Recordon | 86,350 |
| | Free Democrats | Charles Favre | 62,116 |
| | Swiss People's | Guy Parmelin | 62,092 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Social Democrats hold | Social Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Greens gain from Free Democrats | Greens gain from Free Democrats | Swing |

#### Zug

2007 Council of States election: Zug :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Christian Democrats | Peter Bieri | 21,058 |
| | Free Democrats | Rolf Schweiger | 20,195 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Christian Democrats hold | Christian Democrats hold | Swing |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |

#### Zurich

2007 Council of States election: Zurich – First round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Free Democrats | Felix Gutzwiller | 182,594 |
| | Swiss People's | Ueli Maurer | 150,707 |
| | Social Democrats | Chantal Galladé | 110,843 |
| | Green Liberals | Verena Diener | 100,442 |
| | Greens | Daniel Vischer | 61,354 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 48,148 |
| | Christian Democrats | Kathy Riklin | 39,715 |
| | Evangelical People's | Ruedi Aeschbacher | 16,237 |
| | Federal Democrats | Markus Wäfler | 8,011 |
| | Alternative List | Niklaus Scherr | 7,878 |
| | Independent | Stadelmann Toni | 1,327 |
| | Independent | Zaehner Heinz | 350 |
| | Independent | Danowski Marian | 142 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Free Democrats hold | Free Democrats hold | Swing |
2007 Council of States election: Zurich – Second round :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Green Liberals | Verena Diener | 199,594 |
| | Swiss People's | Ueli Maurer | 170,081 |
| | Independent | Vereinzelte | 8,230 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 377,905 |
| | Green Liberals gain from Swiss People's | Green Liberals gain from Swiss People's | Swing |