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[[File:National Council of Switzerland 2015 election winner by canton.svg.png|thumb|300px|Results of the 2015 Swiss federal election in October 2015. Each canton is shaded according to the party that won the most votes for the National Council (lower house). The SVP is shaded in dark green, and it won the largest popular victory for a Swiss political party in at least a century.<ref name="SlideToRight"/>]]
The '''Swiss People's Party''' or '''Democratic Union of the Centre''' ([[German]]: ''Schweizerische Volkspartei'' - SVP, [[French]]: ''Union Démocratique du Centre'' - UDC, [[Italian]]: ''Unione Democratica di Centro'' - UDC, [[Romansch]]: ''Partida Populara Svizra'' - PPS) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] political party that was founded in 1971 by the merger of the Farmers, Artisans, and Citizens’ Party—generally known as the Agrarian Party—with the Democratic Party. It has pursued [[conservative]] social and economic policies, including lower taxes and reduced spending, as well as the protection of Swiss agriculture and industry. The party has also opposed Swiss membership in international bodies such as the [[United Nations]], which Switzerland did not join until 2002.
The '''Swiss People's Party''' or '''Democratic Union of the Centre''' ([[German]]: ''Schweizerische Volkspartei'' - SVP, [[French]]: ''Union Démocratique du Centre'' - UDC, [[Italian]]: ''Unione Democratica di Centro'' - UDC, [[Romansch]]: ''Partida Populara Svizra'' - PPS) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] political party that was founded in 1971 by the merger of the Farmers, Artisans, and Citizens’ Party—generally known as the Agrarian Party—with the Democratic Party. It has pursued [[conservative]] social and economic policies, including lower taxes and reduced spending, as well as the protection of Swiss agriculture and industry. The party has also opposed Swiss membership in international bodies such as the [[United Nations]], which Switzerland did not join until 2002.
===Shift to the right and rise of Christoph Blocher===
===Shift to the right and rise of Christoph Blocher===
[[File:Christoph Blocher (Bundesrat, 2004).jpg|thumb|left|200px|Christoph Blocher around 2007.]]
In 1977, [[Christoph Blocher]], a 36 year-old businessman, was elected president of the Zürich branch of the SVP.<ref name="pp.130">Skenderovic, pp. 130.</ref> Under the leadership of Blocher, a strong [[conservative]], the Zürich SVP broke from the rest of the party<ref name="pp.130"/> and adopted a bold right-wing conservative agenda.<ref name="pp.131">Skenderovic, pp. 131.</ref> In the 1979 elections, the Zürich SVP increased their share of the vote from 11.3 to 14.5 percent, the best result in 50 years.<ref name="pp.131"/>
In 1977, [[Christoph Blocher]], a 36 year-old businessman, was elected president of the Zürich branch of the SVP.<ref name="pp.130">Skenderovic, pp. 130.</ref> Under the leadership of Blocher, a strong [[conservative]], the Zürich SVP broke from the rest of the party<ref name="pp.130"/> and adopted a bold right-wing conservative agenda.<ref name="pp.131">Skenderovic, pp. 131.</ref> In the 1979 elections, the Zürich SVP increased their share of the vote from 11.3 to 14.5 percent, the best result in 50 years.<ref name="pp.131"/>
===Largest party in Switzerland and strong right-wing force===
===Largest party in Switzerland and strong right-wing force===
[[File:CHbezirke 110211 SVP.png|thumb|200px|Electoral performance of the SVP in cantonal districts in the 2011 federal election.]]
After the 2003 election, after the SVP received 26.7 percent of the popular vote, by then clearly the largest party in the nation.<ref name="2003 results"/> It received a second seat on the Federal Council with [[Christoph Blocher]] holding that seat.<ref name="pp.134">Skenderovic, pp. 134.</ref> He was not re-elected in 2007<ref name="pp.134"/> and was replaced by Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. Schlumpf and her colliege, Samuel Schmid, were politically moderate and were expelled by the party soon afterward,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7141897.stm Far-right leaves Swiss government]. ''BBC News''. December 13, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> forming the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP).<ref name="pp.134"/> Despite its name, it is not a real conservative party and supports socially liberals policies, as well as Swiss integration into the EU. Due to scandals, Schmid resigned and was replaced by conservative SVP-member Ueli Maurer in 2009,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7775051.stm Swiss far-right win cabinet post]. ''BBC News''. December 10, 2008. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> and in 2015, the SVP regained its second seat after Schlumpf resigned due to a poor election result for her party and a record election result for the SVP.<ref>Mombelli, Armando (December 10, 2015). [http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/cabinet-elections_how-will-new-ingredients-change--magic-formula--/41825058 People’s Party gains second seat in cabinet]. ''Swissinfo''. Retrieved October 10, 2016.</ref>
After the 2003 election, after the SVP received 26.7 percent of the popular vote, by then clearly the largest party in the nation.<ref name="2003 results"/> It received a second seat on the Federal Council with [[Christoph Blocher]] holding that seat.<ref name="pp.134">Skenderovic, pp. 134.</ref> He was not re-elected in 2007<ref name="pp.134"/> and was replaced by Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. Schlumpf and her colliege, Samuel Schmid, were politically moderate and were expelled by the party soon afterward,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7141897.stm Far-right leaves Swiss government]. ''BBC News''. December 13, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> forming the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP).<ref name="pp.134"/> Despite its name, it is not a real conservative party and supports socially liberals policies, as well as Swiss integration into the EU. Due to scandals, Schmid resigned and was replaced by conservative SVP-member Ueli Maurer in 2009,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7775051.stm Swiss far-right win cabinet post]. ''BBC News''. December 10, 2008. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> and in 2015, the SVP regained its second seat after Schlumpf resigned due to a poor election result for her party and a record election result for the SVP.<ref>Mombelli, Armando (December 10, 2015). [http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/cabinet-elections_how-will-new-ingredients-change--magic-formula--/41825058 People’s Party gains second seat in cabinet]. ''Swissinfo''. Retrieved October 10, 2016.</ref>
==Political positions==
==Political positions==
[[File:Swiss party politics 2007 en.png|thumb|200px|Political positions of the major Swiss political parties as of 2007.]]
The SVP is a national conservative party.<ref name="Nordsieck">Nordsieck, Wolfram (2015). [http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/switzerland.html Switzerland]. ''Parties and Elections in Europe''. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> The SVP supports [[small government]], the [[free market]], Swiss [[sovereignty]], and it opposes the encroachment of Swiss [[independence]], mass [[immigration]], [[Same-sex "marriage"|homosexual "marriage"]], and the [[welfare state]].<ref name="Nordsieck"/><ref>[http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/yes-or-no-_swiss-political-parties-reveal-their-colours/41640412 Swiss political parties reveal their colours]. ''Swissinfo''. September 11, 2015. Retrieved Ocotber 12, 2016.</ref>
The SVP is a national conservative party.<ref name="Nordsieck">Nordsieck, Wolfram (2015). [http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/switzerland.html Switzerland]. ''Parties and Elections in Europe''. Retrieved October 12, 2016.</ref> The SVP supports [[small government]], the [[free market]], Swiss [[sovereignty]], and it opposes the encroachment of Swiss [[independence]], mass [[immigration]], [[Same-sex "marriage"|homosexual "marriage"]], and the [[welfare state]].<ref name="Nordsieck"/><ref>[http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/yes-or-no-_swiss-political-parties-reveal-their-colours/41640412 Swiss political parties reveal their colours]. ''Swissinfo''. September 11, 2015. Retrieved Ocotber 12, 2016.</ref>