thumb|In 2003, by granting the Swiss People's Party a second seat in the governing cabinet, the Parliament altered the coalition that had dominated Swiss politics since 1959. Switzerland was the last Western republic (the Principality of Liechtenstein followed in 1984) to grant women the right to vote. Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden (one of only two remaining Landsgemeinde, along with Glarus) in 1990. After obtaining suffrage at the federal level, women quickly rose in political significance. The first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive was Elisabeth Kopp, who served from 1984 to 1989, and the first female president was Ruth Dreifuss in 1999.
thumb|In 2003 by granting the Swiss People's Party a second seat in the governing cabinet the Parliament altered the coalition that had dominated Swiss politics since 1959 Switzerland was the last Western republic (the Principality of Liechtenstein followed in 1984) to grant women the right to vote Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959 while at the federal level it was achieved in 1971 and after resistance in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden (one of only two remaining Landsgemeinde along with Glarus) in 1990 After obtaining suffrage at the federal level women quickly rose in political significance The first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive was Elisabeth Kopp who served from 1984 to 1989 and the first female president was Ruth Dreifuss in 1999