Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
스위스 사회민주당
A Swiss social-democratic party founded in 1888. With the trade-union federation it organised the 1918 Swiss general strike, and after gaining its first Federal Councillor in 1943 it became one of the four parties represented in the federal government. When it refused to join the Communist International in 1921, its left wing left to form the Communist Party of Switzerland.
In depth
After the Grütli Association, the Swiss Trade Union Federation of 1880 and several short-lived social-democratic parties had appeared in the 19th century, the Swiss Workers' Congress resolved on 21 October 1888 to found the Social Democratic Party. Its first programme rejected revolutionary aims in favour of a democratic solution of the social question, and its first party president was Alexander Reichel of Bern. In 1904 the Aarau congress replaced it with a Marxist programme.
Social tensions from the economic crisis of the First World War erupted in the 1918 general strike organised jointly by the trade-union federation and the SP. Under a Federal Council ultimatum and military occupation the strike ended after four days, but demands such as the 48-hour week and proportional representation for the National Council were soon introduced, and in the 1919 election the party's seats doubled from 20 to 41. When the party refused to join the Third (Communist) International in 1921, its left wing walked out and founded the Communist Party; in 1926 the SP joined the Labour and Socialist International.
In the 1943 National Council election the party achieved the best result in its history and became the largest group, and Ernst Nobs was elected the first Social Democratic Federal Councillor. After its only councillor Max Weber resigned in 1953 it remained in opposition until the introduction of the so-called 'magic formula' in 1959. In 1993 Ruth Dreifuss became the first Social Democratic woman on the Federal Council. According to the German source the party now holds two seats on the Federal Council as one of the four governing parties.