The Grand Council of Valais (French : Grand Conseil du Valais) (German: Grosser Rat) is the legislature of the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. Valais has a unicameral legislature.
Members of the Grand Council of Valais are elected every four years. The Grand Council has 130 seats, elected through six multi-member constituencies via open-list proportional representation and preferential voting.
An additional 130 "substitute members" are elected, on separate lists, whose role it is to replace members who cannot make it to the meetings of the Grand Council.
In the last election, on 7 March 2021, the Christian Democratic People's Party (PDC/CVP), which has been in power since 1857, remained the largest party, but with a historically low number of seats. The Green Party and the Social Democratic Party (PS/SP), which allied with the Christian Social Party (PCS) in Romand Valais and with the Greens in Upper Valais, gained several seats.
The classical liberal FDP.The Liberals and the national conservative Swiss People's Party remained the second- and third-largest parties, respectively.
Party | Ideology | Seats | Seats ± | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christian Democratic People's Party (PDC/CVP) | Christian democracy | 48 | –7 | |||
FDP.The Liberals (PLR/FDP) | Classical liberalism | 27 | +1 | |||
Swiss People's Party (UDC/SVP) | National conservatism | 22 | –1 | |||
Social Democratic Party (PS/SP) and Citizen's Left | Social democracy | 21 | +3 | |||
Green Party (PES)1 | Green politics | 12 | +4 | |||
Total (turnout 59.52%) | 130 | – | ||||
Source: Canton of Valais | ||||||
Footnotes: 1 The Green Party won 12 seats on separate lists in Romand Valais and 1 seat on a Social Democratic List in Upper Valais. |
Luxembourg is a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the prime minister is the head of government, and the multi-party system. Executive power is under the constitution of 1868, as amended, exercised by the government, by the grand duke and the Council of Government (cabinet), which consists of a prime minister and several other ministers. Usually, the prime minister is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties having the most seats in parliament. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, also called the Swiss Socialist Party, is a political party in Switzerland. The SP has had two representatives on the Federal Council since 1960 and received the second-highest number of votes in the 2023 Swiss federal election.
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, also called the Christian Democratic Party, Democratic People's Party and Swiss Christian Democratic Party, was a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. On 1 January 2021, it merged with the Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland (BDP/PBD) to form The Centre, which now operates at the federal level. The Christian Democratic People's Party will continue to exist at the cantonal level as individual local and regional parties determine their status. Its 28 seats in the National Council and 13 seats in the Council of States were transferred to the new party, as was its sole seat on the Federal Council, held by Viola Amherd.
The Christian Social Party (CSP) (German: Christlich-soziale Partei, French: Parti chrétien-social) is a political party in Switzerland of the Christian left. The CSP is more aligned with social democracy than the other major Christian party, the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland (CVP), which is more economically liberal. With the moderate Christian left as its background, the CSP commits itself to social-democratic and environmentalist political solutions. The core principles of the CSP contain, among others, "solidarity with the socially and economically disadvantaged and the preservation of the environment."
The Federal Assembly is the federal bicameral parliament of Switzerland. It comprises the 200-seat National Council and the 46-seat Council of States. It meets in Bern in the Federal Palace.
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007. For the 48th legislative term of the federal parliament (2007–2011), voters in 26 cantons elected all 200 members of the National Council as well as 43 out of 46 members of the Council of States. The other three members of the Council of States for that term of service were elected at an earlier date.
The Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland was a conservative political party in Switzerland from 2008 to 2020. After the 2019 federal election, the BDP had three members in the National Council.
The Grand Council of Vaud is the legislature of the canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. Vaud has a unicameral legislature. The Great Council has 150 seats, with members elected every five years.
The Grand Council of Neuchâtel is the legislature of the canton of Neuchâtel, in Switzerland. Neuchâtel, styled as a Republic and Canton, has a unicameral legislature. The Grand Council has 100 seats, with members elected every four years.
The 2007 election to the Grand Council was held in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, on 11 March 2007. All 150 members of the Grand Council were elected for four-year terms, a reduction of 30 from the size of the previous legislature.
The Parliament of Jura is the legislature of the canton of Jura, in Switzerland. Jura, styled a 'Republic and Canton', has a unicameral legislature. The Parliament has 60 seats, with members elected every five years.
The Cantonal Council of Solothurn is the legislature of the canton of Solothurn, in Switzerland. Solothurn has a unicameral legislature. The Cantonal Council has 100 seats, with members elected every four years.
The 2009 election to the Grand Council was held in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, on 1 March 2009. All 130 members of the Grand Council were elected for four-year terms.
FDP. The Liberals is a liberal political party in Switzerland.
The Grand Council of Basel-Stadt is the legislature of the canton of Basel-Stadt, in Switzerland. Basel-Stadt has a unicameral legislature. The Grand Council has 100 seats, with members elected every four years. Members of the canton's executive, the Executive Council, are elected on the same day.
The Cantonal Council of Obwalden is the legislature of the canton of Obwalden, in Switzerland. Obwalden has a unicameral legislature. The Cantonal Council has 55 seats, with members elected every four years.
The Centre is a centre/centre-right political party in Switzerland. It was formed through the merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland (CVP/PDC) and the Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland (BDP/PBD). Following the formal merger of the parties on 1 January 2021, it has 28 of 200 seats in the National Council and 13 of 46 seats in the Council of States. Viola Amherd is the party's representative on the Federal Council.
Neo – The Social-liberal Centre, known before 2023 as the Christian-social People's Party of Upper Valais is a Christian-social political party in the German-speaking areas of the Swiss canton of Valais, associated federally with The Centre.