Heatwave summer gives climate parties campaign boost

Switzerland’s left-wing parties and the Green Liberal Party have used the hot summer to highlight climate issues, potentially strengthening their credibility ahead of the 2027 elections, SRF reported. Political scientist Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen said the parties had done several things well, although it remained unclear whether their visibility would translate into votes.

The Greens used the heatwave to focus on their core issue, including sharp criticism of Federal Councillor Rösti and demands for measures such as heat plans and action in cities. This helped them appeal to their urban core voters. The party also showed greater openness towards air conditioning, which it has traditionally viewed critically but which could attract majority support beyond its own electorate.

The Green Liberal Party promoted technological solutions, including cooling networks, energy storage and water storage. These proposals fit its profile and appeal to a liberal, technology-oriented electorate. The party also placed more emphasis than others on preventing further climate change alongside adapting to its effects.

The Social Democratic Party distinguished itself from the Greens by focusing more strongly on the social consequences of heat, including the impact on older people and schoolchildren. By linking climate policy to its core social issues, the party could better appeal to its own voters.

The party also supported farmers affected by heat damage. Agriculture is among the sectors hit hardest, and crop failures can particularly affect poorer sections of society. The Social Democrats can also combine this position with a call to reduce climate-damaging agricultural subsidies.

The FDP and The Centre had more difficulty claiming the issue because other parties are seen as more credible on climate policy. The FDP therefore focused more heavily on nuclear power, an issue it had already sought to promote before the heatwave. The Centre has yet to find a clear niche and has not adopted a firm position on nuclear energy.

Within the Swiss People’s Party, farmers drew early attention to the problems caused by the heat, while the party leadership and the Federal Council said little publicly. The party has struggled to respond to an extreme summer after previously arguing that no additional climate measures were needed. It now appears to be supporting selected adaptation measures, such as air conditioning and state assistance for affected farmers. Proposals for state-funded water supplies in the Alps fit its existing political profile, Stadelmann-Steffen said.

Stadelmann-Steffen is a professor of political science at the University of Bern, where she holds the chair in comparative politics and researches areas including energy policy.