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In 2015 the national elections slid to the right, in 2019 it went back to the left. The regular back and forth in the Swiss elections sometimes makes one forget that there is not only left and right in politics.
A year before the national elections, however, this becomes clear with the SRG election barometer. While there is a slight shift to the right, the liberal parties’ gains are clearer.
One reason for this might be that the FDP and GLP are more clearly distinguishable than in the last election. This increases the spectrum of potential voters for the liberal parties.
FDP and GLP benefit from voter migration
While the FDP wanted to score points with climate policy in 2019, the Freisinn under party president Thierry Burkart now has a clearly right-wing profile again. In this way, the FDP can poach or win back supporters of the SVP – more than it loses to the GLP at the same time.
Meanwhile, the GLP is maintaining its center-left course. It is the party that attracts the most swing voters. In addition to the FDP, according to the survey, primarily from the center and the Greens. The new bonus is still working, albeit weaker than in 2019. At the same time, the Green Liberals were able to at least partially sharpen their profile – for example in energy or social policy.
Meanwhile, the FDP is benefiting from a change in personnel: Of all the party presidents, the survey participants attribute the greatest positive influence on the party’s performance to Thierry Burkart.
This is how the party leaders are perceived
The issues also suit the liberal parties. The Ukraine war does not seem to increase the need for military security – one of the factors Burkart stands for. But security of energy supply was suddenly catapulted into second place among the most important political challenges.
In crises, “left” and “right” become less important
The FDP and GLP are likely to attract voters who are looking for pragmatic solutions: the FDP has recently accepted that the Swiss nuclear power plants will run longer. She was also able to distinguish herself in Parliament with the expansion of solar energy in the Alps.
And the GLP, as a green but also business-oriented party, gives priority to the protection of the landscape and biodiversity when there is doubt about security of supply. For a long time, the Greens set their priorities differently when it came to expanding renewable energies outside of the cities.
The pandemic policy has hardly any influence on the election decision. But the corona pandemic has shown that the distinction between left and right loses importance in crises. If Switzerland runs into an energy shortage in the next few months, this could worsen again. Then there is a good chance that what the SRG survey shows will be confirmed – and that “liberal” instead of “green” will be the trump card in 2023.
Larissa Rhyn
Federal House Editor
Who wins? who loses The “Wahlbarometer” program feels the pulse of the political mood of the voters in Switzerland.