Green Party makes historic gains in Swiss vote

Geneva, Oct 21 (AFP/APP): Switzerland’s Green Party made historic gains in national elections Sunday, while the anti-immigrant right wing remained the largest party in parliament despite a slip in its support.

Projections released by public broadcaster RTS, based on near complete results, confirmed the pre-vote forecast that rising concerns about climate change were set to trigger an electoral “green wave”.

The results mark “a tectonic shift”, said Green Party president Regula Rytz.

The Greens garnered 13 percent support, exceeding their pre-election projection. It marked a six-point bump on their 2015 performance, according to projections by RTS, political research firm Gfs Bern and national press agency ATS.

The Green Liberals — an environmentalist party with libertarian socio-economic policies — also gained ground, taking 7.9 percent of the vote compared with less than five percent in 2015.

Focus will swiftly turn to whether the Greens — or a coalition of the two environmentalist parties — will demand one of the seven cabinet positions that are shared among the leading political parties.

Swiss vote in possible ‘green wave’ election