The rightwing Swiss People’s Party spent up to SFr7.1 million ($7.9 million) for its election campaign in the media between May and September according to a survey.
Figures by the Media Focus market research institute show the People’s Party holding a 40 per cent share of the total expenditure by political parties in the five months ahead of parliamentary elections next Sunday.
The centre-right Radical Party invested SFr4.5 million and the Christian Democrats almost SFr3 million in the same period.
The centre-left Social Democrats (SFr1.6 million) and the Greens (SFr388,000) trailed behind.
The data is based on official prices for advertisements, including posters as well as print and online media ads. However, it is not clear whether the official rates applied for all customers.
Switzerland is one of the few countries in Europe without rules on the funding of political parties and campaigns.
There is increasing pressure to introduce more transparency on the issue.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss democracy goes under the microscope
This content was published on
swissinfo.ch spoke to United States diplomat Peter Eicher, in charge of the observer team which will be paying special attention to e-voting as well as considering whether more transparency is needed concerning campaign financing. On October 23, some Swiss abroad and citizens in four cantons will be able to vote via internet for the first…
This content was published on
Men in white overalls emptying styrofoam boxes into an oval tub-like Donald Judd fountain are certainly an unusual sight. As plastic shopping baskets are lowered into the water steam begins to rise momentarily, covering the scene in Winterthur’s old town. It’s a sunny late summer day, on the eve of a decision by parliament in…
This content was published on
Nothing is going to change very soon, according to a political scientist, despite fresh efforts and recent publications on the issue. A report published by the weekly Hebdo magazine earlier this year saw the rightwing Swiss People’s Party leading the funding table, with spending of about SFr35 million ($41.2 million) on newspaper advertisements and billboard…
This content was published on
Political parties and their candidates show different degrees of creativity to attract public attention when it comes to the parliamentary elections. (pictures: Keystone)
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.