Training Programme for Political Office in Switzerland
Nearly half of Swiss municipalities struggle to fill their executive positions. At the same time, almost one in two people would in principle be willing to take on political responsibility — but often don't know how to get started. This is where the Love Politics course comes in: the training programme supports the representation of underrepresented population groups at municipal level.
Important social perspectives are significantly underrepresented in political bodies today: young people make up just 1.2 percent of members of the National Council, women account for only a quarter of municipal executives, and people with a migration background are politically active at around 16 percent — despite representing 41 percent of the population.
The Love Politics course addresses exactly this gap. Dezentrum partner Mirko Fischli completed the programme himself and is now helping to establish it in Switzerland.
Good political decisions require diverse perspectives. This is precisely where Love Politics comes in, offering a concrete pathway into politics for everyone who wants to get involved.
Mirko Fischli
Practical, cross-party and compatible with employment
The course is deliberately designed to be compatible with employment and is open to anyone who wants to take on political responsibility — regardless of party affiliation, age, education, or prior experience. It covers the fundamentals of how Swiss politics works, builds personal resilience in dealing with pressure and public attention, and supports the development of a cross-party network.
Love Politics is thus the first programme in Switzerland to place the municipal level at its centre, specifically address underrepresented groups, and combine political competence with personal development.
The content was developed together with experts and politicians from across the political spectrum. The launch in Switzerland is supported by Jessica Brandenburger (SP), Nicola Forster (GLP, Team Ensemble), Michel Rudin (GLP), Sarah von Felten (ETH), Andri Silberschmidt (FDP), Anders Stokholm (FDP, President SGG), Demokratie Stiftung, Mandy Abou Shoak (SP), Philipp Kutter (Mitte), Reto Schneider (NZZ) and Markus Iseli (SVP).
The first prominent applicant for the programme is author and podcaster Gülsha.
Politics must not be an elite club, but the place where we negotiate how we live together. Love Politics gives a voice to those who have too often gone unheard.
Gülsha
The first cohort runs from September 2026 to March 2027. Applications are open at lovepolitics.ch.
