Centre-right and right-wing politicians have significantly more paid mandates than their colleagues on the left, according to an analysis by Lobbywatch.
At the top of the ranking there is no difference between the right-wing Swiss People’s Party parliamentary group and the Centre parliamentary group, Lobbywatch said on MondayExternal link. Parliamentarians of both groups had almost every second mandate (47% and 46% respectively) paid for by a company or an association.
The centre-right Radical-Liberal Party parliamentary group was in third place, on 38%, followed by the centrist Liberal Green Party on 33%. Politicians from the left-wing Social Democratic Party and the Green Party were found to receive considerably less money from lobbyists (25% and 23% respectively).
Since the beginning of the current legislative term, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have had to declare which of their vested interests are paid for and which are voluntary. Lobbywatch has now analysed the data for the first time.
More
More
MPs are the biggest lobbyists in Swiss parliament
This content was published on
Parliamentarians are increasingly, and more aggressively, representing particular interests. It’s a cultural change in the legislature.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
This content was published on
Links between parliamentarians in Bern and lobby groups have grown by 20% between 2007 and 2015, according to a new study.
This content was published on
Several recent scandals have highlighted efforts to influence Swiss parliamentarians by the regime of president Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.