1983 Swiss federal election
Switzerland
← 1979 23 October 1983 1987 →
All 200 seats in the National Council (101 seats needed for a majority)
All 46 seats in the Council of States (24 seats needed for a majority)
Turnout48.9% Increase 0.9 pp
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Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 23 October 1983.[1][2] The Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 54 of the 200 seats.[3] It was the first time the Social Democratic Party had not received the most votes in a federal election since 1925.[4]

The main issues included environmental protection and unemployment.[2]

Results

National Council

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Free Democratic Party457,28323.3354+3
Social Democratic Party447,63422.8447–4
Christian Democratic People's Party396,28120.2242–2
Swiss People's Party217,16611.08230
Alliance of Independents78,2923.9980
National Action57,5922.944+2
Liberal Party55,3262.8280
Swiss Progressive Organisations43,6942.233+1
Evangelical People's Party40,8372.0830
Federation of Swiss Green Parties37,0791.893+2
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups20,0631.0200
Swiss Party of Labour17,4880.891–2
Republican Movement10,1480.5210
Autonomous Socialist Party9,9620.5110
Independent Social-Christian Party7,8080.400New
Federal Democratic Union7,5900.3900
Other parties55,5992.842–
Total1,959,842100.002000
Valid votes1,959,84298.49
Invalid/blank votes30,1181.51
Total votes1,989,960100.00
Registered voters/turnout4,068,94048.91
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency Seats Electorate Turnout Party Votes Seats
won
Aargau 14 287,227 129,016 Social Democratic Party 489,381 4
Christian Democratic People's Party 382,862 4
Free Democratic Party 360,368 3
Swiss People's Party 252,066 2
Ring of Independents 105,223 1
Evangelical People's Party 88,557 0
National Action 71,119 0
Socialist Workers' Party 21,609 0
More Freedom 7,827 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 2,453 0
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 2 31,463 13,025 Free Democratic Party 8,160 1
"Herbert Maeder in the National Council" Committee 5,856 1
Social Democratic Party 5,347 0
Christian Democratic People's Party 3,281 0
Appenzell Innerrhoden 1 8,702 2,132 Christian Democratic People's Party 1,950 1
Others 90 0
Basel-Landschaft 7 143,229 70,557 Social Democratic Party 158,759 3
Free Democratic Party 122,193 2
Swiss People's Party 54,546 1
Christian Democratic People's Party 52,707 1
Swiss Progressive Organisations 35,206 0
Ring of Independents 21,379 0
National Action 19,110 0
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 14,520 0
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 9,324 0
Basel-Stadt 6 137,296 62,694 Social Democratic Party 115,577 2
Free Democratic Party 50,482 1
Swiss Progressive Organisations 44,581 1
Christian Democratic People's Party 36,952 1
Liberal Party 31,040 0
Ring of Independents 26,274 1
National Action 19,790 0
Evangelical People's Party 17,866 0
Democratic Social Party 11,429 0
Party of Labour 8,528 0
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 3,707 0
People's Action Against Many Foreigners In Our Home 2,108 0
Green Action 774 0
Basel Party for Calm, Order and Security 771 0
Bern 29 625,995 312,288 Swiss People's Party 2,597,070 9
Social Democratic Party 2,529,138 8
Free Democratic Party 1,351,472 5
National Action 536,254 2
Free List 417,624 1
Evangelical People's Party 291,517 1
Ring of Independents 288,099 1
Autonomous Socialist Party of South Jura 192,669 0
Christian Democratic People's Party 191,536 0
Federal Democratic Union 162,341 0
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 142,749 0
Swiss Progressive Organisations 142,651 1
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 57,759 0
Socialist Workers' Party 31,959 0
Citizens' List Against the Accumulation of Offices 11,326 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 4,678 0
Fribourg 6 122,666 64,746 Christian Democratic People's Party 143,535 3
Social Democratic Party 90,658 1
Free Democratic Party 75,556 1
Swiss People's Party 33,466 1
Independent Social-Christian Party 28,302 0
Socialist Workers' Party 6,561 0
Geneva 11 187,930 83,705 Social Democratic Party 172,453 2
Liberal Party 171,576 3
Party of Labour 85,219 2
Free Democratic Party 145,144 2
Christian Democratic People's Party 110,293 1
Republican Movement 109,690 1
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 68,431 0
National Action 18,865 0
Socialist Workers' Party 13,031 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 2,588 0
Glarus 1 23,048 6,061 Swiss People's Party 5,045 1
Others 420 0
Grisons 5 106,814 42,613 Christian Democratic People's Party 66,986 2
Social Democratic Party 49,617 1
Swiss People's Party 44,250 1
Free Democratic Party 40,420 1
Jura 2 42,207 25,939 Free Democratic Party 14,808 1
Christian Democratic People's Party 12,896 0
Social Democratic Party 9,171 1
Friends and Sympathizers of Jean Wilhelm 7,475 0
Independent Social-Christian Party 6,052 0
Swiss People's Party 1,037 0
Lucerne 9 193,946 117,278 Christian Democratic People's Party 509,792 5
Free Democratic Party 293,937 3
Social Democratic Party 120,588 1
Swiss Progressive Organisations 86,399 0
National Action 13,255 0
Non-Partisan 3,350 0
Neuchâtel 5 97,581 42,674 Social Democratic Party 68,562 2
Liberal Party 63,991 2
Free Democratic Party 40,211 1
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 15,226 0
Party of Labour 8,739 0
Ring of Independents 7,257 0
Socialist Workers' Party 2,945 0
Nidwalden 1 20,439 6,027 Christian Democratic People's Party 4,166 1
Others 122 0
Obwalden 1 17,378 5,370 Christian Democratic People's Party 3,415 1
Others 337 0
Schaffhausen 2 44,499 32,795 Social Democratic Party 22,431 1
Free Democratic Party 16,624 1
Swiss People's Party 14,375 0
Christian Democratic People's Party 4,023 0
Ring of Independents 3,550 0
Swiss Progressive Organisations 1,694 0
Socialist Workers' Party 766 0
Schwyz 3 63,068 27,491 Christian Democratic People's Party 37,267 2
Free Democratic Party 20,775 1
Social Democratic Party 16,812 0
Swiss People's Party 5,186 0
Solothurn 7 144,237 87,554 Free Democratic Party 223,530 3
Social Democratic Party 166,812 2
Christian Democratic People's Party 160,478 2
Swiss Progressive Organisations 20,781 0
Ring of Independents 23,832 0
Socialist Workers' Party 5,255 0
St. Gallen 12 244,526 107,611 Christian Democratic People's Party 520,398 5
Free Democratic Party 350,297 4
Social Democratic Party 207,455 2
Ring of Independents 130,263 1
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 41,558 0
Swiss People's Party 24,021 0
Ticino 8 159,845 98,398 Free Democratic Party 285,420 3
Christian Democratic People's Party 255,684 3
Social Democratic Party 103,631 1
Autonomous Socialist Party 79,454 1
Swiss People's Party 15,702 0
Socialist Workers' Party 7,435 0
Ticino Democratic Rights 3,091 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 2,717 0
Thurgau 6 113,263 59,712 Swiss People's Party 80,381 2
Christian Democratic People's Party 76,133 2
Social Democratic Party 68,735 1
Free Democratic Party 64,444 1
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 20,785 0
Evangelical People's Party 18,504 0
Ring of Independents 13,768 0
National Action 9,609 0
Uri 1 22,440 6,772 Free Democratic Party 4,799 1
Others 868 0
Vaud 17 320,472 128,894 Free Democratic Party 650,061 7
Social Democratic Party 467,069 5
Liberal Party 360,481 3
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 150,149 1
Swiss People's Party 131,952 1
Christian Democratic People's Party 96,697 0
Party of Labour 88,607 0
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 80,816 0
National Action 55,162
Socialist Workers' Party 45,173 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 10,851 0
Valais 7 145,446 94,937 Christian Democratic People's Party 371,921 4
Free Democratic Party 162,477 2
Social Democratic Party 91,323 1
Democratic Valais Independent Group 20,853 0
Zug 2 47,815 25,464 Christian Democratic People's Party 20,127 1
Free Democratic Party 16,938 1
Social Democratic Party 11,841 0
Socialist Workers' Party 1,309 0
Joy, Peace and Zwätschgechueche 603 0
Zürich 35 717,000 336,259 Social Democratic Party 2,679,690 8
Free Democratic Party 2,537,519 9
Swiss People's Party 1,612,538 5
Ring of Independents 1,157,817 4
Christian Democratic People's Party 1,058,175 3
National Action 682,087 2
Evangelical People's Party 632,813 2
Federation of Swiss Green Parties 484,533 1
Swiss Progressive Organisations 442,017 1
Feminist and Green Alternative Groups 79,972 0
Federal Democratic Union 67,437 0
Socialist Workers' Party 48,100 0
Party of Labour 40,355 0
Non-Partisan List 26,915 0
Senior Citizens' List of the Canton of Zürich 20,673 0
Social Liberal European Federalist Party 21,058 0
Life + Justice 17,618 0
Source: Bundesblatt, 29 November 1983

Council of the States

PartySeats+/–
Christian Democratic People's Party180
Free Democratic Party14+3
Social Democratic Party6–3
Swiss People's Party50
Liberal Party30
Alliance of Independents00
Total460
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

  1. ^ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 ISBN 9783832956097
  2. ^ a b Lohneis, Hans (1984). "The Swiss election of 1983: A glacier on the move?". West European Politics. 7 (3): 117–119. doi:10.1080/01402388408424490. ISSN 0140-2382.
  3. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p1955
  4. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, pp1947–1951
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