Progressive Organizations of Switzerland

Progressive Organisations of Switzerland Progressive Organisationen der Schweiz Organisations progressistes de Suisse
Abbreviation	POCH
Founded	1969 (1969)
Dissolved	1993 (1993)
Merged into	Green Party of Switzerland
Ideology	Communism
Political position	Far-left
Politics of Switzerland Political parties Elections

The Progressive Organisations of Switzerland (POCH; German: Progressive Organisationen der Schweiz; French: Organisations progressistes de Suisse) was a communist party founded in 1969. Most of its members were from a university background.

In 1977, many women's groups split from the party to form the Organisation for the cause of women (German:Organisation für die Sache der Frau (OFRA)).

In 1987, the POCH distanced itself from Marxism-Leninism and changed its name to POCH-Grüne ( POCH-Greens). After the disbandment of numerous canton parties between the late 1970s and 1993, many members changed their party affiliation to the Green Party of Switzerland. The last section of the party in Basel-City disbanded in 1993, spawning the Basel's strong alternative (German: Basels starke Alternative) in 1995.

Election year	Vote %	No. of seats won	+/–
1971	0.1	0 / 200	new
1975	1.0	0 / 200
1979	1.7	2 / 200	2
1983	2.2	3 / 200	1
1987	1.3	3 / 200
1991	0.2	0 / 147	3
Source: Federal Statistical Office[1]

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