The conservative Swiss People's Party has won the nation's election, according to projections. Garnering 30 percent, the SVP bested all the other parties by a solid margin, including the Social Democrats, which won 15 percent of the vote. The ruling Green party is projected to lose seats in the parliament.
What was the driving issue? Well, Politico's headline, which reads "Swiss Anti-Immigrant Party Projected to Make Record Election Showing," gives us a pretty good idea.
The far-right and euroskeptic Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is set to make its strongest showing ever in national elections, according to projections by the NZZ newspaper.
The SVP, which has centered its campaign on anti-immigrant rhetoric, is projected to win 30 percent of the vote, up from 25.6 percent four years ago and higher than pre-election polls. It has been the country’s largest party since 2003.
In an election dominated by domestic issues, the three other main parties — the Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Center Alliance — are also projected to make gains, with only the Greens and the Green Liberals projected to come out weaker than in 2019.
Europe is currently facing an extremely scary situation, with mass protests largely carried out by asylum seekers from the Middle East taking place across the EU nations. Chants of genocide and violent acts have been committed against Jews. Even Germany, which has long prided itself on combating antisemitism following World War II, has seen its streets overwhelmed.
That obviously played a role in Swiss voters handing the SVP its biggest win ever, and the issue of mass migration (the EU doesn't consider it illegal because of asylum laws) is a massive warning sign to other European left-wing coalitions. There is only so far you can push a population, even if that population has a natural bent toward liberal progressivism.
What we continue to see worldwide, with New Zealand and Argentina being other examples (the latter is projected to elect a right-wing president soon), is that countries that have suffered under left-wing policies are changing course. Meanwhile, countries like Poland, which have benefited from a lack of being overrun by asylum seekers, are growing fat in their excesses and shifting leftward.
It is clear, given all the demonstrations and hate crimes that have been taking place across Europe since the October 7th attack on Israel, that continuing to import asylum seekers with no ideological screening or limits is no longer a winning issue. European leaders can either adjust or be thrown out of power. Preferably both given they allowed things to get to this point.