Women did not gain the vote at federal level until 1971, and they are still underrepresented in political life. Although they account for 54% of voters, they held only 29% of seats in the National Council and 22% of seats in the Council of States after the 2007 elections.

At cantonal level in 2006 women accounted for 20.5% of the members of government, and 26% of the members of parliament. There were, however, considerable regional differences.

The majority of women in the National Council belong to parties on the left. A study of voting patterns in the former legislature showed that even those belonging to right-wing parties tended to vote further to the left than their male party colleagues.

However, a study issued in 2007 showed that despite the increase in the number of women being elected to political posts, women are less interested in politics than men are. In contrast to other European countries the gap between the number of men and the number of women casting their vote is widening. In 2003 54% of men, but only 38% of women voted in the federal elections.