==History==
===Background===The SVP's history can be traced back to several farmers parties "in agrarian cantons of Protestant, German-speaking Switzerland" in the late 1910s.<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 124.</ref> These parties were first represented in the Federal Council in 1929, and these parties were united under one "'umbrella organization'" in 1936 at the creation of the Farmers, Artisians and Citizens Party (BGB).<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 125.</ref> The BGB was a generally conservative party,<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 125, 127.</ref> but after the [[Second World War]] it participated in the postwar consensus politics of Switzerland.<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 126.</ref>
===Modern history===
The SVP was founded in 1971. It became more conservative in the 1980s and 1990s.
===Growth===
The SVP and its predecessors had "showed remarkable stability" in "electoral support" until the 1990s.<ref>Skenderovic, pp. 127.</ref>
After the 2003 election, after the SVP achieved another record victory, it received a second seat on the Federal Council with [[Christoph Blocher]] holding that seat. He was not re-elected in 2007 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). 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>