Jet d'eau, Geneva

Update 10:15  Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Canton Geneva elected its new 100-strong Grand Conseil, or parliament, Sunday and voters approved a multi-party mix that sees the power of the Socialists waning and a stronger centre-right. Geneva has long had a centre-left leaning. The biggest winner was the centre-right MCG, Mouvement Citoyens Genevois, which nearly doubled the number of seats it holds, to 17.

Media in French-speaking Switzerland are putting the accent on the populist nature of the party, pointing to its strongly anti-frontalier (workers who cross the border) platform. Le Temps notes that the party has taken advantage of a chink, growing concerns along the border about security and jobs, where many thought it did not have the strength.

The largest party remains the Liberals, also centre-right, with 20 seats. The Greens gained one seat for a total of 17. The Socialists lost two seats and now have 15. Parties on the right lost seats: the PDC and Radicals each lost one and the UDC People’s Party lost two.

The Grand Conseil is elected every four years.

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