Swiss People's Party Leader Marco Chiesa Resigns After Election Success

Marco Chiesa, the leader of the Swiss People's Party (SVP), announced his resignation on Thursday, following the party's successful performance in the general election in October. Chiesa, who has led the SVP since August 2020, presided over the party's third-best result in its history, winning 28 percent of the vote and securing nine additional seats in the National Council lower house of parliament. In a statement on the party's website, Chiesa expressed that he had achieved his goals and that the party's commitment and cohesion were strong.

The SVP's election campaign emphasized its core themes, including the fight against mass immigration, opposition to closer ties with the European Union, and Swiss neutrality. Additionally, the party launched initiatives against cancel culture, gender terror, and woke madness. Despite its roots as a farmers' party in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, the SVP has become a national force under Chiesa's leadership. Notably, Chiesa, hailing from the Italian-speaking Ticino region, was the party's first leader from outside the German-speaking cantons, contributing to the party's broadened reach, particularly in French-speaking Switzerland.

Chiesa, who also represents Ticino in the Council of States upper house of parliament, announced that he would focus on addressing the challenges faced by the Ticino population, particularly regarding asylum chaos and excessive immigration. The decision to step down as party leader was met with regret from the SVP, which thanked Chiesa for his significant contribution. The party's delegates will convene in Bern on March 23 to select their new leader. As the SVP prepares for this leadership transition, the party's focus on key issues such as immigration and neutrality is expected to continue under new leadership. With Switzerland's population reaching 8.8 million, including a quarter who are foreign nationals, the party's positions on these issues are likely to remain at the forefront of political discourse.