Record number of candidates standing for parliament
The number of candidates standing for election to the National Council on October 22 has reached a new record this year.
The average age is the highest it has been for over 30 years, and the proportion of women is stable, according to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office.
No fewer than 5,924 candidates are standing for election to the House of Representatives in the 20 cantons with proportional representation systems, 27% more than in 2019. Of these, 40.8% are women, compared with 40.3% four years ago (and 32.5% in 1991).
More surprisingly, although ten candidates are only 18 years old, the average age of the contenders is the highest since at least 1991: 43.6 years, compared with 41.75 in 2019 and 40.59 in 2015, according to the FSO. Overall, the candidates are younger on the left and among the Greens, as well as among women.
The Centre and Green parties are fielding the highest number of candidates, with 1,104 and 839 respectively. Between them, these two parties account for almost a third of all candidates.
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