Green Party of Switzerland
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The Green Party of Switzerland (Grüne Partei der Schweiz / Les verts - Parti écologiste suisse) is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland and the biggest party besides the governing parties.
Political basics of the Green Party of Switzerland
The Swiss Greens have adopted the motto: Think global, act local. Their vision is a human livelyhood for all humans in an intact environment. To reach this vision, the Swiss Greens work for sustainable development, environmentalism and human rights. Key criteria for their politics are:
- long-term thinking,
- quality,
- solidarity,
- decentralisation and
- diversity.
History
The first Green party in Switzerland was founded as a local party in 1971 in the town of Neuenburg. In 1979 Daniel Brélaz was elected to the National Council as the first green parliamentarian on the national level. Local and regional green parties and organisations were founded in many different towns and states in the following years.
In 1983, two different national green party federations were created: in May, diverse local green groups come together in Fribourg to form the Federation of Green Parties of Switzerland, and in June, left-alternativ groups form in Bern the Green Alternative Party of Switzerland. In 1990, an attempt to fuse both organisations doesn't succed. In the end, some member groups of the Green Alternative Party join the now so-called Green Party of Switzerland, which becomes the de-facto national green party.
In 1986 the first two Green members of a state government are chosen: Leni Robert and Benjamin Hofstetter become members of the Regierungsrat of Bern.
In 1987, the Green Party of Switzerland joins the European Federation of Green Parties.
In the 1990s, members of the Green Party become town mayors, members of the high court and even president of a state government (Verena Diener in 1999).
Elections
Green Members of the National Council
- 1979 - 1 member
- 1983 - 4 members
- 1987 - 11 members, forming the fifth-largest faction
- 1991 - 14 members
- 1995 - 9 members (+ 2 other councilors joining the green faction)
- 1999 - 9 members (+ 1 other councilor)
- 2003 - 14 members (+ 1 other councilor)
See also: List of political parties in Switzerland