1951 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 28 October 1951.^[1] Although the Social Democratic Party received the most votes, the Free Democratic Party remained the largest party in the National Council, winning 51 of the 196 seats.^[2]

Results

National Council

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party	249,857	25.99	49	+1
	Free Democratic Party	230,687	23.99	51	–1
	Conservative People's Party	216,616	22.53	48	+4
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	120,819	12.57	23	+2
	Alliance of Independents	49,100	5.11	10	+2
	Swiss Party of Labour	25,659	2.67	5	–2
	Liberal Democratic Party	24,813	2.58	5	–2
	Social-Political Group	21,606	2.25	4	–1
	Evangelical People's Party	9,559	0.99	1	0
	Liberal Socialist Party	8,194	0.85	0	–1
	Other parties	4,588	0.48	0	0
Total		961,498	100.00	196	+2
Valid votes		961,498	97.42
Invalid/blank votes		25,439	2.58
Total votes		986,937	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,386,146	71.20
Source: Mackie & Rose,[3] Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency	Seats	Electorate	Turnout	Party		Votes	Seats won
Aargau	13	89,544	76,963		Social Democratic Party	317,094	4
					Conservative People's Party	214,280	4
					Free Democratic Party	180,353	3
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	149,273	2
					Ring of Independents	59,209	0
					Evangelical People's Party	33,971	0
Appenzell Ausserrhoden	2	14,218	9,784		Free Democratic Party	8,901	1
					Social Democratic Party	5,480	1
					Free Democratic People's List	2,777	0
Appenzell Innerrhoden	1	3,681	1,470		Conservative People's Party	1,167	1
Basel-Landschaft	4	32,813	21,935		Social Democratic Party	26,276	1
					Free Democratic Party	15,128	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	13,090	1
					Conservative People's Party	10,172	1
					Social-Political Group	9,490	0
					Aktion Kanton Basel	8,672	0
					Swiss Party of Labour	3,730	0
Basel-Stadt	8	62,657	41,761		Social Democratic Party	96,217	2
					Free Democratic Party	63,473	2
					Liberal Party	42,806	1
					Conservative People's Party	40,908	1
					Swiss Party of Labour	39,558	1
					Ring of Independents	35,804	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	12,458	0
Bern	33	248,241	177,779		Social Democratic Party	2,086,933	12
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	1,978,637	11
					Free Democratic Party	992,985	6
					Conservative People's Party	344,568	2
					Ring of Independents	234,662	2
					Liberal Socialist Party	96,638	0
Fribourg	7	45,959	33,379		Conservative People's Party	123,845	4
					Free Democratic Party	50,804	1
					Social Democratic Party	25,834	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	29,717	1
Geneva	8	59,936	30,902		Free Democratic Party	76,509	3
					Swiss Party of Labour	56,864	2
					Liberal Party	44,238	1
					Conservative People's Party	37,503	1
					Social Democratic Party	29,914	1
Glarus	2	Elected unopposed			Social Democratic Party		1
					Free Democratic Party		1
Grisons	6	37,371	27,381		Conservative People's Party	66,320	3
					Social-Political Group	45,949	2
					Free Democratic Party	26,600	1
					Social Democratic Party	21,020	0
Lucerne	9	66,383	56,703		Conservative People's Party	251,728	5
					Free Democratic Party	197,601	3
					Social Democratic Party	54,744	1
Neuchâtel	5	40,626	21,290		Social Democratic Party	42,460	2
					Free Democratic Party	29,831	2
					Liberal Party	24,577	1
					Swiss Party of Labour	7,700	0
Nidwalden	1	5,629	2,774		Conservative People's Party	2,443	1
Obwalden	1	6,209	3,837		Conservative People's Party	2,267	1
					Others	1,450	0
Schaffhausen	2	Elected unopposed			Free Democratic Party		1
					Social Democratic Party		1
Schwyz	3	20,727	14,974		Conservative People's Party	21,761	2
					Social Democratic Party	11,840	1
					Free Democratic Party	10,325	0
Solothurn	7	51,886	44,176		Free Democratic Party	129,255	3
					Social Democratic Party	94,128	2
					Conservative People's Party	78,558	2
St. Gallen	13	85,709	67,673		Conservative People's Party	373,128	6
					Free Democratic Party	251,809	4
					Social Democratic Party	151,500	2
					Ring of Independents	62,810	1
Ticino	7	48,860	32,959		Free Democratic Party	94,012	3
					Conservative People's Party	93,872	3
					Social Democratic Party	39,234	1
Thurgau	6	43,397	33,618		Social Democratic Party	56,574	2
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	52,195	2
					Conservative People's Party	47,643	1
					Free Democratic Party	38,552	1
Uri	1	8,244	5,358		Free Democratic Party	4,528	1
Vaud	16	113,520	57,940		Free Democratic Party	342,180	7
					Social Democratic Party	194,887	4
					Liberal Party	144,537	2
					Swiss Party of Labour	94,717	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	85,583	1
					Conservative People's Party	44,102	1
Valais	7	46,424	34,464		Conservative People's Party	147,944	5
					Free Democratic Party	48,671	1
					Social Democratic Party	36,017	1
					Union of Peasants and Workers	4,941	0
Zug	2	12,019	8,630		Conservative People's Party	7,319	1
					Free Democratic Party	5,009	1
					Social Democratic Party	4,322	0
Zürich	32	241,946	181,174		Social Democratic Party	1,664,685	9
					Ring of Independents	932,376	6
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	840,325	5
					Free Democratic Party	763,778	5
					Conservative People's Party	585,249	3
					Social-Political Group	370,488	2
					Swiss Party of Labour	166,957	1
					Evangelical People's Party	222,328	1
					Liberal Socialist Party	136,151	0
Source: Bundesblatt, 29 November 1951

Council of the States

In several cantons the members of the Council of the States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.^[4]

Party		Seats	+/–
	Swiss Conservative People's Party	18	0
	Free Democratic Party	12	+1
	Social Democratic Party	4	–1
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	3	–1
	Liberal Democratic Party	3	+1
	Social-Political Group	2	0
	Other parties	2	0
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, p1953
3. Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan
4. Nohlen & Stöver, p1956