Since the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) won Sunday’s election in Switzerland with 29% of the vote, the party leader, Marco Chiesa, has pledged more pragmatism and “less political correctness.”

The final results published on Monday showed the SVP won 62 seats out of 200 in parliament, nine more than before.

“I believe the people have given the politicians a clear mandate. Acknowledge reality and come up with solutions. These elections were about what’s happening in people’s daily lives,” Chiesa told 24 Heures.

The SVP president added he aimed to pass “significant reforms” along with the help of the third-placed Centre party, The Guardian reports.

“I want to pursue a more pragmatic politics,” he said. “Less political correctness, more of what really bothers people: 10 million inhabitants, a reliable energy supply, independence,” he stated.

The results showed the Social Democrats won two seats to gain 41, whilst the Centre party won one to total 29 seats. However, the Radical-Liberals lost one seat to leave them with 28, the Greens lost five to total 23, whilst the Liberal Greens lost six to leave them with 10.

“The result means it will be more difficult for progressive issues, or issues like the environment and sustainability. After this result, politicians will feel less pressure to push this agenda in the next four years,” according to Cloé Jans from pollsters GFS Bern.

Furthermore, the majority of voters who took part in a poll after Sunday’s election said the country’s new parliament should prioritise reining in healthcare costs.

The survey carried out by public broadcaster SRG SSR over the election weekend found increasing insurance premiums were also the principal reason why voters chose to change parties. Around two-thirds of Swiss voters want lawmakers to tackle healthcare costs above all else, Bloomberg reports.

An average family in Switzerland is facing a rise of 1,000 Swiss Francs in premium costs in 2024, making it the largest increase in over a decade, according to an NZZ newspaper report.

However, immigration’s return to the top of Europe’s political agenda saw the SVP win the election by primarily campaigning on its core issue of curbing immigration.

“The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, recent attacks in Paris and Brussels – it all creates a climate of insecurity that favours the SVP,” stated Pascal Sciarini, a political scientist at the University of Geneva.