Parties vie for Swiss Abroad votes with varied strategies

Keeping focused in Bern Alessandro Della Valle/Keystone

The number of Swiss Abroad is on the rise. But how are Swiss political parties responding to this development? For the first time, a survey reveals the transnational mobilisation strategies which parties are using to court Swiss voters abroad – and how successful they are in doing so.

In 2023, around 11% of the Swiss population lived abroad, and the number continues to grow, according to Swiss foreign ministry statistics.

All Swiss citizens living outside the country’s borders retain their voting rights, regardless of their location. As a result, no Swiss party can afford to ignore the electoral potential of the Swiss Abroad.

This article first appeared on the website DeFactoExternal link.

But what mobilisation strategies and election campaign tactics are local parties using to appeal to citizens living abroad? A systematic survey of the six largest Swiss political parties has, for the first time, provided insight. The findings show that, in the 2023 federal elections, the parties employed different strategies and varying levels of intensity to win over this increasingly important electorate.

International sections: growing in significance

Today, the growing significance of the Swiss Abroad as a voter group is reflected in party structures.

The Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Radical-Liberal Party, and Swiss People’s Party have long established international sections to represent the interests of their supporters living abroad. Shortly before the 2023 federal elections, the Liberal Green Party followed suit by founding an international section, while the Greens established a global network within their party. These international sections not only serve as mouthpieces for the concerns of the Swiss Abroad but also fight intensely during election campaigns to secure as many overseas votes as possible.

Mobilisation through actions, not issues

No election posters on the way to work, far fewer “regulars’ table conversations” to remind you of the upcoming vote: due to the lack of everyday “election reminders”, the Swiss Abroad must be mobilised even more actively than potential voters at home.

However, despite parties recognising the importance of mobilisation, they did not tailor their campaigns specifically to the differing preferences of the Swiss Abroad. Instead, the campaigns abroad were largely thematically similar to those at home.

The major parties focused on specific mobilisation efforts to bring potential voters to the polls, such as information campaigns at congresses for the Swiss Abroad and targeted articles and advertising campaigns in information and news portals like SWI swissinfo.ch and Swiss Review. Digitalisation has also enabled them to reach their transnational electorate via websites, emails, video conferences, and various social media channels.

Which political parties lead the way?

In the 2023 federal elections, the Social Democratic Party and the Swiss People’s Party were particularly committed to securing the votes of the Swiss Abroad. The Social Democratic Party organised “Polit-Apéros”, where Swiss politicians could directly connect with supporters abroad. Meanwhile, the Swiss People’s Party relied on targeted events and personal home visits abroad to engage with potential voters directly.

As the below graph shows, these extra efforts paid off: the Social Democratics (20.4%) and the Swiss People’s Party (18.5%) were the two most popular parties among the Swiss Abroad in 2023.

Resources matter

Overall, the mobilisation of the Swiss Abroad is significantly influenced by available financial resources and party organisation.

While the Radical-Liberal Party and Liberal Green Party rely on volunteer work, the Social Democratic Party and Swiss People’s Party support their transnational activities with positions specifically established for the Swiss Abroad within their General Secretariat. The success of the parties in tapping into the ever-growing potential of voters outside the country’s borders depends on how willing they are to allocate resources and structures specifically for this segment.

Adapted from German with DeepL/amva