Vacancy rate

Three answers

Proposals of the left, the centre and the right, summarised by Votara editors from the parties' own documents and from parliamentary business. They are not Votara's opinion.

Left: SP and Greens · Centre: Die Mitte and GLP · Right: SVP and FDP. This grouping is an editorial choice by Votara. Source for the parties' left–right placement: Selects 2023 election study (FORS, in German)

The order of the three cards changes every day. How we work

• Left

  The SP wants a large expansion of non-profit housing. Communes and cantons would get a right of pre-emption to pass land or buildings to non-profit developers under building leases. The SP also asks for a larger federal revolving fund (Fonds de Roulement) and higher floor-area ratios for non-profit developers. According to their programme, the Greens want to promote non-profit housing, in particular cooperatives.

  Parties: SP and Greens

  Written by Votara editors from SP Switzerland, position paper «Wuchermieten stoppen, Immobilienwirtschaft in den Dienst der Menschen stellen!», 28 February 2026 (in German)

  Also stated in: Greens Switzerland, «Agenda 2023–2027» (in German)

• Centre

  The Centre group asks, in postulate 26.3340, for a report on how the federal government can help cantons and communes to densify existing buildings, in particular by adding storeys and extensions. According to the postulate, this creates housing without new building zones. The GLP's housing paper also proposes adding storeys, conversions and changes of use of existing buildings, and wants commercial and business zones to be convertible into mixed zones.

  Parties: Die Mitte and GLP

  Written by Votara editors from Postulate 26.3340 of the Centre group, Curia Vista (in German and French)

  Also stated in: Die Mitte, press release «Die Mitte fordert nachhaltiges Wachstum für die Schweiz», 20 March 2026 (in German)·GLP Switzerland, executive board paper «Wohnbaupapier 25+», 11 November 2025 (in German)

• Right

  The SVP attributes the housing shortage to immigration. Its sustainability initiative «No 10-million Switzerland!» was to keep the permanent resident population below 10 million until 2050; voters rejected it on 14 June 2026. The FDP asks, in motion 26.3359 (Damian Müller), that cantons and communes may quickly create new local building zones where a shortage is shown, for example by the vacancy rate.

  Parties: SVP and FDP

  Written by Votara editors from SVP Switzerland, argumentation paper on the sustainability initiative, 24 March 2026 (in German)

  Also stated in: Motion 26.3359 by Damian Müller (FDP), Curia Vista (in German and French)