Editing Conservatism (section)

==== Switzerland ====
{{Conservatism in Switzerland}}
In some aspects, Swiss conservatism is unique, as Switzerland is an old federal republic born from historically sovereign [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]], comprising three major nationalities and adhering to the principle of [[Swiss neutrality]].

There are a number of conservative parties in Switzerland's parliament, the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]. These include the largest ones: the [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP),<ref name="Hans-Georg">{{cite book |last=Ziebertz |first=Hans-Georg |title=How Teachers in Europe Teach Religion: An International Empirical Study: An International Empirical Study in 16 Countries |year=2011 |publisher=Lit Verlag |isbn=978-3-643-10043-6 |page=237}}</ref> the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]] (CVP),<ref name=Juravich>{{cite book |last=Juravich |first=Tom |title=Ravenswood: The Steelworkers' Victory and the Revival of American Labor |year=2000 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-8666-1 |page=133}}</ref> and the [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland]] (BDP),<ref name=Schwok>{{cite book |last=Schwok |first=René |title=Switzerland – European Union: An Impossible Membership? |year=2009 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-90-5201-576-7 |page=143}}</ref> which is a splinter of the SVP created in the aftermath to the election of [[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]] as Federal Council.<ref name="Schwok"/>

The SVP was formed from the 1971 merger of the [[Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents|Party of Farmers, Traders and Citizens]], formed in 1917, and the smaller Democratic Party, formed in 1942. The SVP emphasised agricultural policy and was strong among farmers in German-speaking Protestant areas. As Switzerland considered closer relations with the European Union in the 1990s, the SVP adopted a more militant [[Protectionism|protectionist]] and [[Isolationism|isolationist]] stance. This stance has allowed it to expand into German-speaking Catholic mountainous areas.{{sfn|Siaroff|2000|p=446}} The [[Anti-Defamation League]], a non-Swiss lobby group based in the United States has accused them of manipulating issues such as immigration, Swiss neutrality, and welfare benefits, awakening antisemitism and racism.<ref>The Stephen Roth Institute. ''Anti-semitism worldwide'' Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2002 {{ISBN|0-8032-5943-3}} p. 120</ref> The [[Council of Europe]] has called the SVP "[[Far-right politics|extreme right]]", although some scholars dispute this classification. For instance, [[Hans-Georg Betz]] describes it as "populist radical right".<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Hainsworth |author-first=Paul |title=The Extreme Right in Western Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-415-39682-0 |pages=44 and 74 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jCtm2UeUQFIC}}</ref> The SVP has been the largest party since 2003.