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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"/>]]

[[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 language|German]]: ''Schweizerische Volkspartei'' - SVP, [[French language|French]]: ''Union Démocratique du Centre'' - UDC, [[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Unione Democratica di Centro'' - UDC, [[Romansch language|Romansch]]: ''Partida Populara Svizra'' - PPS) is a political party in [[Switzerland]] 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.

Under the de-facto leadership of strong conservative businessman [[Christoph Blocher]],<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 138-141.</ref> the SVP became the largest party in Switzerland. Over the course of several recent elections, it has continually grown in power and (as of 2016) holds the most parliamentary seats of any party at the federal level. Its policies emphasize free market economics, low taxes, neutrality regarding foreign affairs, a tough stance on crime and a reduction of unwanted immigration. The party has enjoyed repeated success in mobilizing popular majorities for referenda and popular initiatives, often managing to set the political agenda against strong opposition from establishment elites.

Under the de-facto leadership of strong conservative businessman [[Christoph Blocher]],<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 138-141.</ref> the SVP became the largest party in Switzerland. Over the course of several recent elections, it has continually grown in power and (as of 2016) holds the most parliamentary seats of any party at the federal level. Its policies emphasize free market economics, low taxes, neutrality regarding foreign affairs, a tough stance on crime and a reduction of unwanted immigration. The party has enjoyed repeated success in mobilizing popular majorities for referenda and popular initiatives, often managing to set the political agenda against strong opposition from establishment elites.