BERNE, Switzerland, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A bitter campaigning rivalry in Switzerland came to an end Sunday when Swiss voters took to the polls for a highly anticipated national election.
With nearly 50 percent of the overall 4.9 million Swiss voters turning out for the election, a recent opinion poll indicated the Swiss People's Party would likely be the day's winner despite being the target of racism allegations while campaigning, Deutsche Welle said.
Both the political party and its leader, Justice Minister Christoph Blocher, also were criticized for their campaign focuses. The party had been campaigning based primarily on crime and immigration, a move some have labeled extremist and not fitting with the current political trends in Switzerland.
That stance intensified after the party released a campaign poster showing a black sheep being ejected from a field by three white sheep.
Nonetheless, the German broadcaster said the poll showed 27.3 percent of respondents supported the Swiss People's Party with 21.7 percent backing the Social Democratic Party.
