Federal elections of 22 October 2023
How the Swiss Abroad Voted
As in Switzerland, the green vote in 2023 federal elections dropped among the Swiss diaspora, mainly in favour of the Social Democratic Party.
By contrast, the rise in support for the Swiss People’s Party was not reflected in the ballots cast by Swiss voters abroad. No Swiss Abroad was elected to parliament.
Results
Elected members of the Council of States, by canton*
Select a canton to see who was elected to the Council of States on the dedicated /www.ch.ch democracy website.
This information including the election results, will also appear on the Federal Chancellery app VoteInfo. To download the app, visit: revue.link/voteinfo
The October 2023 issue of the Swiss Review magazine published a 4-year review outlining the voting trends of the Swiss Abroad. Read the issue on the SwissCommunity.org website >
The general elections to both chambers of the federal parliament took place on 22 October 2023. For the election results plus information, explanatory videos and interactive charts about the elections to the National Council and the Council of States, visit www.ch.ch/en/wahlen2023, a service brought to you by the Federal Chancellery, the Parliamentary Services, the Federal Statistical Office and the cantons.
Due to the abovementioned federal elections, there are no further voting dates in 2023.
The next voting date is 3 March 2024.
The Federal Council determines voting proposals at least four months before the voting date. Everything you need to know about these voting proposals (voting pamphlets, committees, recommendations by parliament and the Federal Council, etc.) is available at www.admin.ch/votes or via the Federal Chancellery’s VoteInfo app.
Popular Initiatives
The following federal popular initiatives had already been launched at the time of going to press (deadline for the collection of signatures in brackets):
■ Federal Popular Initiative “For food security – by strengthening sustainable domestic production, more plant-based food and clean drinking water (Food Initiative)” (13 December 2024)
■ “No to a Switzerland of 10 million! (Sustainability Initiative)” (4 January 2025)
Government rejects idea of ‘Swiss Abroad constituency’
Published on SwissInfo.ch on 30 November 2023
Do follow the livestream Council of the Swiss Abroad meeting taking place on the 2nd of December where e-Voting and the Swiss government's resistance to increasing the influence of the Swiss Abroad will be discussed.
Voting rights of Swiss citizens abroad
Swiss citizens aged 18 and over – including Swiss citizens abroad – are entitled to vote at federal level. Some cantons and communes also grant the right to vote at cantonal and communal level to Swiss citizens abroad, and in certain cases to non-Swiss citizens.
If you are a Swiss citizen abroad, you can vote at federal level (e.g. in National Council elections). To vote, you must be registered with your Swiss representation abroad, which in the UK is the Swiss Embassy London. You must also be registered on the electoral roll of your last commune of residence in Switzerland or, if you have never lived in Switzerland, in your place of origin.
Voting rights of Swiss citizens abroad: information and forms
