ABSTRACT
The Swiss party system has long been noteworthy both for its large number of parties and its stability. The parties themselves are considered to be weak with a low level of professionalisation and a high degree of internal fragmentation. This analysis questions these assumptions on a broader empirical basis. It takes up the recent electoral success of the Swiss People’s Party, which seriously disturbs traditional arrangements of power sharing. For a better understanding of the ongoing changes, it also takes a closer look at developments on the level of the party organisation. The focus is not only on the national party system and its parties, but also includes the very important cantonal level. There have been significant changes affecting the Swiss parties, and a reorganisation of the party system has become more likely.
