Womens suffrage
In 1959 women were granted the right to vote in the first Swiss cantons (states).
In 1971 they were permitted to vote at the federal level.
In 1990 they gained the right to vote in Appenzell Innevrhoden, the last canton.
Women rose quickly in political significance after being granted the right to vote. The first female president, Ruth Dreifuss, was elected in 1998 and the second, Micheline Calmy-Rey, came to power in 2007.
