The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland (German: Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz, CVP; French: Parti Démocrate-Chrétien, PDC; Italian: Partito Popolare Democratic, PPD; Romansh: Partida Cristiandemocratica, PCD) is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss Federal Council.
The party was founded as the Catholic Conservative Party in 1912. The party peaked in the 1950s, having three members of the Federal Council (1954–58) before agreeing to the Magic formula. It adopted its current name in 1970. From 1979 to 2003, the party's vote declined, mostly at the expense of the Swiss People's Party, and the party was reduced to one Federal Councillor at the 2003 election.
The party sits in the centre of the political spectrum, advocating Christian democracy, the social market economy, and moderate social conservatism. The party is strongest in Catholic rural areas, particularly Central Switzerland and Valais. In the Federal Assembly, the CVP sits in the CVP/EVP/glp Group with the Green Liberal Party and the Evangelical People's Party. The party is a member of the Centrist Democrat International.
Read more about Christian Democratic People's Party Of Switzerland: History, Party Platform, Popular Support, Presidents
Famous quotes containing the words christian, democratic, people, party and/or switzerland:
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (18741936)
“The Democratic Party is like a mule. It has neither pride of ancestry nor hope of posterity.”
—Ignatius Donnelly (18311901)
“How awful to reflect that what people say of us is true!”
—Logan Pearsall Smith (18651946)
“I recommend to you, in my last, an innocent piece of art: that of flattering people behind their backs, in presence of those who, to make their own court, much more than for your sake, will not fail to repeat, and even amplify, the praise to the party concerned. This is of all flattery the most pleasing, and consequently the most effectual.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (16941773)
“I look upon Switzerland as an inferior sort of Scotland.”
—Sydney Smith (17711845)