MP leaderboard
Which MPs have the most clout to shape Swiss legislation and the ability to sway public opinion? Use the table below to explore which MPs have the most influence in each dimension.
The analysis reveals that many politicians from the Centre party have great political influence in parliament. In total, male centrists dominate the list of the 30 most politically influential MPs, constituting 36.7% of them (a total of 11 politicians). The Liberal Party (FDP) is the second most influential party in parliament.
One reason for the distribution of influence among these parties in parliament is their role as bridge-builders. While the right- and left-wing parties take a clear party position on issues such as climate change or migration, the Centre and Liberal parties act as potential alliance partners, thus exerting a direct influence on important political decisions.
In terms of public influence, members of the National Council from the right- and left-wing parties dominate the ranking. The majority of FDP members are situated in the middle tier. Notably, FDP women exhibit higher levels of influence compared to their male counterparts in both the National Council and the Council of States, with this gender distinction being particularly pronounced in the National Council.
Party presidents with significant public influence
Without exception, all party presidents have a significant level of public influence and rank among the 30 most publicly influential parliamentarians. This is primarily because they are the voice of their respective parties, leading to greater media exposure and public recognition.
The co-presidency of the Social Democratic Party (SP), held by Cédric Wermuth and Mattea Meyer, has been particularly successful, with both ranking second and sixth, respectively. Similarly, Gerhard Pfister (Centre), Thierry Burkart (FDP), Jürg Grossen (Green Liberal Party), and Cédric Wermuth are all the highest-ranking representatives within their respective parties.