1983 Swiss federal election

1983 Swiss federal election
	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)
Turnout	48.9% 0.9 pp

Last updated July 27, 2024

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]

Results

National Council



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Free Democratic Party	457,283	23.33	54	+3
	Social Democratic Party	447,634	22.84	47	–4
	Christian Democratic People's Party	396,281	20.22	42	–2
	Swiss People's Party	217,166	11.08	23	0
	Alliance of Independents	78,292	3.99	8	0
	National Action	57,592	2.94	4	+2
	Liberal Party	55,326	2.82	8	0
	Swiss Progressive Organisations	43,694	2.23	3	+1
	Evangelical People's Party	40,837	2.08	3	0
	Federation of Swiss Green Parties	37,079	1.89	3	+2
	Feminist and Green Alternative Groups	20,063	1.02	0	0
	Swiss Party of Labour	17,488	0.89	1	–2
	Republican Movement	10,148	0.52	1	0
	Autonomous Socialist Party	9,962	0.51	1	0
	Independent Social-Christian Party	7,808	0.40	0	New
	Federal Democratic Union	7,590	0.39	0	0
	Other parties	55,599	2.84	2	–
Total		1,959,842	100.00	200	0

Valid votes		1,959,842	98.49
Invalid/blank votes		30,118	1.51
Total votes		1,989,960	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		4,068,940	48.91
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency	Seats	Electorate	Turnout		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
Appenzell Innerrhoden	1	8,702	2,132	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
Glarus	1	23,048	6,061	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
Nidwalden	1	20,439	6,027	Others	122	0
Obwalden	1	17,378	5,370	Christian Democratic People's Party	3,415	1
Obwalden	1	17,378	5,370	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
Uri	1	22,440	6,772	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



Party		Seats	+/–
	Christian Democratic People's Party	18	0
	Free Democratic Party	14	+3
	Social Democratic Party	6	–3
	Swiss People's Party	5	0
	Liberal Party	3	0
	Alliance of Independents	0	0
Total		46	0

Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Related Research Articles

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 24 October 1999. Although the Swiss People's Party received the most votes for the first time in the party's history, the Social Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 51 of the 200 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 28 October 1928. Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 58 of the 198 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1931. Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 52 of the 187 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on October 22, 1995. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 54 of the 200 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 20 October 1991. The Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 44 of the 200 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 18 October 1987. The Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 51 of the 200 seats.

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.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 26 October 1975. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 55 of the 200 seats. As of 2023, this is the last time turnout has reached 50% in a federal election.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 31 October 1971. Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 49 of the 200 seats. They were the first federal elections in which women were allowed to vote, following a referendum earlier in the year that introduced universal suffrage for federal elections.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1967. The Social Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 50 of the 200 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 27 October 1963. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 53 of the 200 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1959. The Social Democratic Party and the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest parties in the National Council, each winning 51 of the 196 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 30 October 1955. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 53 of the 196 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 28 October 1951. Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 51 of the 196 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 26 October 1947. Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 52 of the 194 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1922. The Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 60 of the 198 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1925. The Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 60 of the 198 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 27 October 1935. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 50 of the 187 seats.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1939. The Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 49 of the 187 seats. Due to the outbreak of World War II, there were no elections in nine of the 25 cantons; Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Valais, Vaud and Zug. In what became known as "silent elections", a total of 55 candidates were elected unopposed.

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 31 October 1943. The Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 56 of the 194 seats.

References

↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 ISBN 9783832956097
1 2 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.
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1955
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, pp1947–1951

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[NS-1] Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 ISBN 9783832956097

[:0-2] 1 2 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

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]