Dimensions of Partisan Conflict in Swiss Cantons

Abstract

One of the intriguing problems of empirical democratic theory is to explain the stability of Switzerland, a society divided both by language and by religion. Kerr (1974) suggests federalism as an explanation, because it both defuses political conflict and allows different patterns of party conflict to emerge in French and Geman speaking areas. Analysis of split votes (panachage) from the 1975 election of the National Council shows wide variation in party spaces at the cantonal level, but such variation exists within religio-linguistic groups of cantons as well as across groups. Comparison to similar data from 1951 shows the level of panachage to be increasing along with divergence among cantonal party systems. This is consistent with Lijphart's (1969) hypothesis that Switzerland is entering a postconsociational period.

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