'Tectonic shift': Swiss Greens make historic gains in election

Environmentalists' vote share soars but anti-immigrant Swiss People's party remains largest

Green parties have made historic gains in national elections in Switzerland, marking a significant shift in power in the consensus-centred system of the Alpine country, where political change often takes place at glacial speed.

The rightwing anti-immigrant Swiss People's party (SVP) remained the largest party in parliament despite a slip in its support. But the Swiss Greens received a six-point bump on their 2015 performance, taking 13.2% of the vote in a result that amounted to "a tectonic shift", according to their president, Regula Rytz.