Tell me where you live and I’ll tell you if you can vote
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If you live in Switzerland but you are not Swiss, your political rights such as the ability to vote depend largely on where you reside.
No fun and games for Graubünden after ballots cast
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A majority of 54 per cent of voters said “no” to a proposal to set aside a financial reserve of CHF300 million ($320 million) for the organisation of the games. The event would have been centred on the renowned resorts of St Moritz and Davos, which already hosts the annual meeting of the World Economic…
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On Wednesday, the House of Representatives followed the Senate in approving SFr600 million ($682 million) more each year for the army than proposed by the cabinet, and agreeing to use some of the additional funds to finance the purchase of new fighter jets. The new figure will give army heads SFr5 billion a year to…
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While the tone of the Swiss media has generally been encouraging and optimistic, a fair amount of criticism and concern underlies much of the latest commentary. “The revolution has only just begun,” read the top headline on the Saturday edition of the Bern-based Der Bund newspaper. Inside, an editorial called for an end to the hypocrisy…
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Berlusconi survived by winning the vote in Italy’s lower house by a hair, 314-311. “Italy’s the loser”, was the title of the commentary published in both the Tages-Anzeiger and Bund newspapers. “Silvio Berlusconi will not be happy with this victory,” it said, explaining that Berlusconi now finds himself in the same situation as his predecessor,…
swissinfo.ch launches iPad application in 9 languages
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You can enjoy swissinfo.ch on the iPad with a “touch and feel” experience. The presentation and design are unique; they were developed specifically with the iPad in mind and differ greatly from the internet platform. Navigation is carried out intuitively by touchscreen. It is easy for the user, even on the move, to scroll or…
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The agency, which is part of the Swiss Abroad unit in the foreign ministry, had to step into action 12 times in the first six months of this year following earthquakes in Haiti and Chile as well as kidnappings of Swiss nationals in Asia and Africa. In addition to the task force for emergencies the…
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The Swiss ambassador to Washington, Urs Ziswiler, expressed his “relief” on Wednesday night in Bern over last week’s adoption of an agreement with the US for sharing UBS client data. The diplomat was the keynote speaker at a roundtable debate on relations between Switzerland and the US, organised by the Swiss Foreign Policy Association. The…
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In an interview with swissinfo.ch, Oswald Sigg, a former government spokesman and expert on direct democracy, criticises cabinet ministers and warns of the dangers of opinion polls ahead of nationwide votes and the damage for Switzerland’s political system. Sigg believes the unexpected result in last Sunday’s ballot can be beneficial if it prompts a fair…
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He said it was the only way to break a deadlock in economic relations with the north African country and secure the release of two Swiss nationals held for allegedly violating visa regulations. Merz’s visit to Tripoli on Thursday prompted mixed reactions in Switzerland. Critics have accused him of groveling before an unreliable authoritarian regime…
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Calmy-Rey also discusses the major challenges of defending international humanitarian law. Interviewed on the 150th anniversary of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, she says that for her the Red Cross represents “a humanitarian ideal”. She also said Switzerland was prepared to receive “one or two” former detainees of the Guantanamo camp constructed by…
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But in a written interview with swissinfo, she cautions that any rapprochement between Washington and Tehran will take time. Leu Agosti, who has been in her post since the beginning of the year, voices concerns over Iran’s difficult human rights situation. She says she remains convinced that dialogue with the Iranian authorities is the best…
