electionstracker

Switzerland 1971 federal election

What was the result of the 1971 federal election in Switzerland?

Free Democratic Party of Switzerland won 49 of 200 seats with 21.8% of the vote. 56.9% of registered voters cast a ballot.

  • Switzerland
  • Held:
  • Final result
  • ParlGov, read 5 October 2026

Which party won the most seats?

Final results from ParlGov, read : Free Democratic Party of Switzerland won 49 of 200 seats with 21.8% of the vote; 56.9% of registered voters cast a ballot, down 8.9 points on 1967.

  • Social Democratic Party of Switzerland 46 −4 seats 22.9% −0.6 points
  • Free Democratic Party of Switzerland 49 0 seats 21.8% −1.4 points
  • Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland 44 −1 seat 20.3% −1.8 points
  • Swiss People's Party 23 +2 seats 11.1% +0.1 points
  • Alliance of Independents 13 −3 seats 7.6% −1.5 points
  • Republican Movement 7 +7 seats 4.3% +4.1 points
  • Swiss Democrats 4 +3 seats 3.2% +2.6 points
  • Swiss Party of Labour 5 0 seats 2.6% −0.3 points
  • Liberal Party of Switzerland 6 0 seats 2.2% −0.1 points
  • Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland 3 0 seats 2.1% +0.5 points
  • Seats won
  • Change on the previous election at the right
  • Share of the vote
  • Share at the previous election
  • Change in points at the right

Changes are against the Switzerland 1967 federal election, party by party.

101 of 200 seats make a majority

Key numbers

  1. 21.8%

    Share of the vote won by Free Democratic Party of Switzerland

    Free Democratic Party of Switzerland won 49 of 200 seats. A majority needs 101.

  2. +7 seats

    Seats gained by Republican Movement

    The largest gain in seats compared with 1967. Social Democratic Party of Switzerland lost 4 seats.

  3. 56.9%

    Voter turnout

    Down 8.9 points on 1967.

Seats and votes by party

PartySeats± seats%± pointsVotes
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland46−422.9−0.6456,233
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland49021.8−1.4434,721
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland44−120.3−1.8404,763
Swiss People's Party23+211.1+0.1220,487
Alliance of Independents13−37.6−1.5152,086
Republican Movement7+74.3+4.184,700
Swiss Democrats4+33.2+2.663,781
Swiss Party of Labour502.6−0.351,341
Liberal Party of Switzerland602.2−0.143,710
Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland302.1+0.542,778
Christian Social Party00.35,946

± is the change against the Switzerland 1967 federal election, party by party.

Votes by party
  • Social Democratic Party of Switzerland 456,233
  • Free Democratic Party of Switzerland 434,721
  • Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland 404,763
  • Swiss People's Party 220,487
  • Alliance of Independents 152,086
  • Republican Movement 84,700
  • Swiss Democrats 63,781
  • Swiss Party of Labour 51,341
  • Liberal Party of Switzerland 43,710
  • Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland 42,778
  • Christian Social Party 5,946

ParlGov lists parties with at least 1 percent of the vote or 2 seats, so the rows do not add up to the valid votes.

How many people voted?

56.9% of the 3,549,426 registered voters cast a ballot (2,018,077 ballots), down 8.9 points on 1967. 1,992,316 of them were valid votes. The lowest turnout of this kind in our data, which begins in 1947.

How do the votes compare with the seats?

  • Free Democratic Party of Switzerland21.8% of votes24.5% of seats
  • Social Democratic Party of Switzerland22.9% of votes23.0% of seats
  • Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland20.3% of votes22.0% of seats
  • Swiss People's Party11.1% of votes11.5% of seats
  • Alliance of Independents7.6% of votes6.5% of seats
  • Republican Movement4.3% of votes3.5% of seats
  • Liberal Party of Switzerland2.2% of votes3.0% of seats
  • Swiss Party of Labour2.6% of votes2.5% of seats
  • Swiss Democrats3.2% of votes2.0% of seats
  • Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland2.1% of votes1.5% of seats
Each party's share of the vote (outlined) and of the seats (filled)

The Gallagher index of disproportionality is 2.7 (0 when seats follow votes exactly); the effective number of parties is 6.1 by votes and 5.5 by seats; Social Democratic Party of Switzerland led Free Democratic Party of Switzerland by 1.1 points of the vote.

Time and source Data as of