Free Democratic Party of Switzerland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FDP. The Liberals
Party Name in German	FDP. Die Liberalen
Party Name in French	PLR. Les Libéraux-Radicaux
Party Name in Italian	PLR. I Liberali
Party Name in Romansh	PLD. Ils Liberals
President	Fulvio Pelli
Members of the Swiss Federal Council	Pascal Couchepin and Hans-Rudolf Merz
Founded	2009 (1894/1913)
Headquarters	Neuengasse 20 Postfach 6136 CH-3001 Berne
Political Ideology	Liberalism, Classical liberalism, Radicalism, Libertarianism
European Affiliation	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
International Affiliation
Colours	Blue
Website	www.prd.ch
See also:	Politics & Government Swiss Federal Council Federal Chancellor Federal Assembly Council of States (members) National Council (members) Political parties Elections (2003 - 2007) Cantons - Municipalities Voting

The Free Democratic Party of Switzerland, with official name FDP.The Liberals  (German: FDP.Die Liberalen, French: PLR.Les Libéraux-Radicaux, Italian: PLR.I Liberali, Romansh: PLD.Ils Liberals), is a political party in Switzerland that was formed on February 28, 2009, after two parties, the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (founded 1894), and the Liberal Party of Switzerland (founded 1913) united. Its youth organisation is Young Liberals. The FDP has more members than any other Swiss party.

The party is a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. The party's president is Fulvio Pelli. The current FDP representatives in the Federal Council are Pascal Couchepin and Hans-Rudolf Merz.

[edit] History

The elements liberal, radical and "free-thinking" (German freisinnig) in the party's name originate from the conflicts during the period of Restauration between the Catholic-conservative cantons and the liberal cantons that led to the foundation of the Swiss federal state in 1848 after the victory of the Protestant-liberal cantons.

The liberal cantons had defeated the Catholic cantons, and from 1848 until 1891, the Federal Council was composed entirely of FDP members. The "Radical Party" of the restoration was progressive compared to the conservative Catholic Conservative Party, and it was not until the rise of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland in the early 20th century that the FDP found itself on the right side of the Swiss political center.

After the federal election 2003 FDP and LPS formed a common faction in the Federal Assembly. In June 2005 they strengthened their cooperation by founding Radical and Liberal Union^[1]

[edit] Policies

As a classical liberal party, the FDP's goal is to promote freedom and self-responsibility in the society and economy. The FDP upholds entrepreneurship and democracy based on the rule of law.

The party has the opinion that an open society and economic liberalism promoting economic competition guarantees more prosperity and social and economic stability than a redistributive state.

The FDP stands for a society of opportunities along with flexible decision-making in education, the labor market, family services, and property ownership. It works toward ensuring that more jobs of quality are created and it also works toward ensuring that public insurance is secure. This encompasses the stabilization of costs in the healthcare system, and working against abuse of the social welfare system.

The party supports an easy tax code and low taxes along with tax competition among the cantons of Switzerland. It also supports a state without excessive bureaucracy and over-regulation which hampers economic progress. It also aims at lowering the budget deficits and the national debt by lowering government spending. It prefers tax cuts as an economic stimulus measure to subsidies. The party, which commits itself to a competitive and developing market economy, wants to invigorate Switzerland's position as an economic and financial center with as few government interventions as possible. The main goals of the party's energy policy is to secure the allocation of energy and to raise the energy efficiency. The party supports more efficient energy sources and research and development, which don't emit CO₂. Nevertheless, the party is against carbon emissions taxes.

The party supports the neutrality, federalism, direct democracy, and tax sovereignty of Switzerland. National security shall be credibly guaranteed by strong militia. The party stands for an "open Switzerland," which makes use of the opportunities that globalization brings along. The FDP upholds strong cooperation between Switzerland and the EU in terms of bilateral treaties. The immigrant policy of the party is based on mandatory integration, and consequent punishment in the event of an abuse of immigrant rights. The FDP supports an active peace-supporting policy which increases the security of Switzerland while at the same time preventing the formation of refugee streams.

[edit] Popular support

In 2003, it held 36 mandates (out of 200) in the Swiss National Council (first chamber of the Swiss parliament); 14 (out of 46) in the second chamber and 2 out of 7 mandates in the Swiss Federal Council (executive body). By 2005, it hold 27,2% of the seats in the Swiss Cantonal governments and 19,7% in the Swiss Cantonal parliaments (index "BADAC", weighted with the population and number of seats). At the last legislative elections, 22 October 2007, the party won 15.6 % of the popular vote and 31 out of 200 seats.^[2]

[edit] Presidents

• since 2009 Fulvio Pelli, Ticino

The presidents of the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland:

• 2005-2008 Fulvio Pelli, Ticino
• 2004-2004 Rolf Schweiger, Zug
• 2002-2004 Christiane Langenberger, Vaud
• 2001-2002 Gerold Bührer, Schaffhausen
• 1989-2001 Franz Steinegger, Uri
• 1984-1989 Bruno Hunziker, Aargau
• 1978-1984 Yann Richter, Neuchâtel

The presidents of the Liberal Party of Switzerland:

• 2008–2009   Pierre Weiss, Geneva
• 2002–2008   Claude Ruey, Vaud
• 1997–2002   Jacques-Simon Eggly, Geneva
• 1993–1997   François Jeanneret, Vaud
• 1989–1993   Claude Bonnard, Vaud
•        –1989   Gilbert Coutau, Geneva
•        –          Lukas Burckhardt, Basel

[edit] See also

• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism and radicalism in Switzerland

[edit] References

1. ^ New alliance counters left-right polarisation - swissinfo
2. ^ Nationalrat 2007

[edit] External links

• fdp.ch in German
• prd.ch in French
• plrt.ch in Italian
• Young Liberals Switzerland official site of the youth branch, called jungfreisinnige schweiz (in German/French)

v • d • e Political parties in Switzerland Major parties Swiss People's Party · Social Democratic Party · Free Democratic Party · Christian Democratic People's Party · Green Party Minor parties Alternative List · Conservative Democratic Party · Christian Social Party · Federal Democratic Union · Green Liberal Party · Evangelical People's Party · Freedom Party · Ticino League · Liberal Party · Swiss Party of Labour · Swiss Democrats · solidaritéS · Swiss Pirate Party Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of Switzerland