The Geneva Citizens' Movement (), abbreviated to MCG, is a
right-wing populistpolitical party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
in the
Canton of Geneva
The Canton of Geneva, officially the Republic and Canton of Geneva, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons of the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of forty-five Municipality, municipalities, and the seat of the governme ...
,
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. On its own initiative, it started, and is a part of, the wider Romandy Citizens' Movement (), abbreviated to MCR.
History
The MCG was co-founded in 2005 by
Éric Stauffer and
Georges Letellier. It established itself as the canton's third most powerful political party in the
2009 legislative election, winning 17 out of 100 seats in the
Grand Council of Geneva.
In 2010, the MCG formed a wider party organization with chapters throughout the cantons of
Romandy, called the ''Mouvement Citoyen Romand'' (MCR).
However, only the Geneva chapter has seen real success.
The MCG made large gains in the March 2011 cantonal local elections, helping end a 20-year-old majority by left-of-center parties in the
parliament of the city of Geneva.
In 2013, the MCG further increased its share in the Grand Council of Geneva to 20 seats. In addition, it gained a seat in the
Council of State of Geneva, the executive organ of the canton, with
Mauro Poggia taking the seat.
In the
federal election of October 2011, the MCG won one of Geneva's eleven seats in the
National Council, with
Mauro Poggia (b. 1959), formerly of the
Christian Democrats and also the Italian
Union of Christian and Centre Democrats. The MCG retained its one seat in the
2015 elections, later losing it in the
2019 elections. In the
2023 elections, the MCG won two seats in the National Council and one in the
Council of States.
Grand Council of Geneva election results
Ideology
The MCG calls itself neither
left- nor
right-wing
Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...
,
but it is often referred to as
right-wing populist,
,
or
xenophobic
Xenophobia (from (), 'strange, foreign, or alien', and (), 'fear') is the fear or dislike of anything that is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression that is based on the perception that a conflict exists between an in-gr ...
by political opponents and the media.
The MCG campaigns on a platform of opposition to established party politics (''
classe politique'')
and to the 65,000 cross-border commuters from France,
calling for the priority allocation of jobs to Swiss citizens.
The MCG takes
eurosceptic or nationalist positions, such as supporting the preeminence of
Swiss law before
international law
International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...
, opposing the bilateral accords with the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, and supporting reducing immigration.
In addition, it supported a strict implementation of the
2014 Swiss immigration referendum, which aimed to limit immigration through quotas.
As of 2015, the MCG supports increased funding for
renewable energies.
It believes more controls on social welfare are needed, but it does not support reducing benefits in order to reduce costs, preferring "a general reform of the system and not ineffective half-measures."
As of 2015, the MCG supports registered partnerships for
same-sex couples but opposes full legalization.
Presidents
*
Georges Letellier (2005–2006)
*
Georges Jost (2006–2008)
*
Éric Stauffer (2008–2012)
*
Roger Golay (2012–2016)
*
Ana Roch (2016–)
References
External links
Geneva Citizens' Movement official websiteRomandy Citizens' Movement official webpage (subpage of MCG website)
{{Authority control
Political parties in the canton of Geneva
Political parties established in 2005
2005 establishments in Switzerland
National conservative parties
Regionalist parties
Right-wing populism in Switzerland
Conservative parties in Switzerland
Nationalist parties in Switzerland
Political parties of minorities in Switzerland