1959 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1959.^[1] The Social Democratic Party and the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest parties in the National Council, each winning 51 of the 196 seats.^[2]

Results

National Council

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party	259,139	26.38	51	–2
	Free Democratic Party	232,557	23.67	51	+1
	Conservative Christian Social Party	229,088	23.32	47	0
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	113,611	11.56	23	+1
	Alliance of Independents	54,049	5.50	10	0
	Swiss Party of Labour	26,346	2.68	3	–1
	Liberal Democratic Party	22,934	2.33	5	0
	Social-Political Group	21,170	2.15	4	0
	Evangelical People's Party	14,038	1.43	2	+1
	Other parties	9,438	0.96	0	–
Total		982,370	100.00	196	0
Valid votes		982,370	97.40
Invalid/blank votes		26,193	2.60
Total votes		1,008,563	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,473,155	68.46
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency	Seats	Electorate	Turnout	Party		Votes	Seats won
Aargau	13	94,726	79,872		Social Democratic Party	310,962	4
					Conservative People's Party	226,341	3
					Free Democratic Party	184,747	2
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	147,716	2
					Ring of Independents	65,889	1
					Evangelical People's Party	32,802	0
					Free Voters for the Repeal of Compulsory Voting	21,883	0
Appenzell Ausserrhoden	2	Elected unopposed			Free Democratic Party		1
					Social Democratic Party		1
Appenzell Innerrhoden	1	3,624	1,361		Conservative Christian Social Party	1,010	1
Basel-Landschaft	4	38,597	23,744		Social Democratic Party	31,119	1
					Free Democratic Party	24,003	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	13,944	1
					Aktion Kanton Basel	12,772	0
					Conservative Christian Social Party	12,172	1
Basel-Stadt	8	67,346	40,765		Social Democratic Party	96,439	3
					Free Democratic Party	63,876	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	43,516	1
					Liberal Party	40,230	1
					Ring of Independents	35,809	1
					Party of Labour	28,881	0
					Evangelical People's Party	13,185	0
Bern	33	255,261	166,701		Social Democratic Party	1,917,983	12
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	1,799,135	11
					Free Democratic Party	917,183	6
					Conservative Christian Social Party	383,320	2
					Ring of Independents	296,288	2
					Non-partisan List of Christian Citizens	66,143	0
Fribourg	7	45,817	31,802		Conservative Christian Social Party	112,479	4
					Free Democratic Party	49,507	1
					Social Democratic Party	30,241	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	27,010	1
Geneva	8	67,674	30,914		Free Democratic Party	64,157	3
					Party of Labour	63,488	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	41,879	1
					Social Democratic Party	38,125	1
					Liberal Party	36,948	1
Glarus	2	10,782	8,357		Social Democratic Party	6,505	1
					Free Democratic Party	4,723	1
					Social-Political Group	3,121	0
					Conservative Christian Social Party	2,159	0
Grisons	6	37,906	27,854		Conservative Christian Social Party	65,966	2
					Social-Political Group	46,225	2
					Free Democratic Party	26,303	1
					Social Democratic Party	24,564	1
Lucerne	9	69,773	59,301		Conservative Christian Social Party	270,546	5
					Free Democratic Party	203,944	4
					Social Democratic Party	50,539	0
Neuchâtel	5	41,660	23,229		Social Democratic Party	42,759	2
					Free Democratic Party	30,354	2
					Liberal Party	20,658	1
					Party of Labour	12,146	0
					National Progressive Party	6,953	0
Nidwalden	1	5,803	2,608		Conservative Christian Social Party	2,114	1
Obwalden	1	6,273	2,623		Conservative Christian Social Party	1,952	1
					Liberal Party	563	0
Schaffhausen	2	17,801	15,283		Social Democratic Party	12,820	1
					Free Democratic Party	8,591	1
					Ring of Independents	6,079	0
Schwyz	3	21,194	15,901		Conservative Christian Social Party	25,141	2
					Social Democratic Party	11,113	1
					Free Democratic Party	10,527	0
Solothurn	7	55,169	45,939		Free Democratic Party	135,929	3
					Social Democratic Party	96,818	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	79,664	2
St. Gallen	13	87,576	67,499		Conservative Christian Social Party	383,322	6
					Free Democratic Party	236,576	4
					Social Democratic Party	150,671	2
					Ring of Independents	65,031	1
Ticino	7	50,924	35,265		Free Democratic Party	99,493	3
					Conservative Christian Social Party	95,473	3
					Social Democratic Party	36,558	1
Thurgau	6	43,424	32,179		Social Democratic Party	53,313	2
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	48,594	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	47,425	1
					Free Democratic Party	38,491	1
Uri	1	8,721	4,550		Free Democratic Party	3,417	1
Vaud	16	119,220	65,588		Free Democratic Party	314,653	6
					Social Democratic Party	306,580	5
					Liberal Party	146,489	2
					Party of Labour	116,746	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	92,844	1
					Conservative Christian Social Party	52,542	1
Valais	7	49,350	36,635		Conservative Christian Social Party	157,530	5
					Free Democratic Party	49,459	1
					Social Democratic Party	32,311	1
					Social Movement - Peasants, Workers and Independents	14,520	0
Zug	2	13,067	8,296		Conservative Christian Social Party	7,630	1
					Free Democratic Party	5,060	1
					Social Democratic Party	3,276	0
Zürich	32	261,738	182,406		Social Democratic Party	1,606,287	9
					Ring of Independents	879,528	5
					Free Democratic Party	854,519	5
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	847,913	5
					Conservative Christian Social Party	725,719	4
					Social-Political Group	336,388	2
					Evangelical People's Party	315,777	2
					Party of Labour	162,424	0
Source: Bundesblatt, 3 December 1959

Council of the States

In several cantons the members of the Council of the States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.^[3]

Party		Seats	+/–
	Conservative Christian Social Party	17	0
	Free Democratic Party	13	+1
	Social Democratic Party	4	–1
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	3	0
	Liberal Democratic Party	3	0
	Social-Political Group	1	–1
	Other parties	3	+1
Total		44	0
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 ISBN 9783832956097
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p1954
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p1956