Following his election at a Council meeting on Friday, Lombardi said he had learned a lot about the concerns of the Swiss Abroad in parliament, on the board of the Organisation of the Swiss AbroadExternal link (OSA) and as its vice-president. He also lived abroad himself for six years in Brussels.
Lombardi, 65, was a member of the Senate for Ticino for 20 years and is one of Switzerland’s most distinguished foreign policy experts. He is considered the father of the Swiss Abroad ActExternal link, which he led to widespread acceptance in parliament in 2014. Lombardi succeeds Remo Gysin, whom the council appointed honorary president.
“I will defend the interests of the Fifth Switzerland [expatriate Swiss community] boldly and vigorously,” Lombardi promised the OSA council. “We have gained a lot of understanding in national politics, but there is still a long way to go before we are truly recognised as Swiss citizens with all our rights and obligations.”
The OSA council also renewed its executive board. The Swiss People’s Party’s domestic seat remains vacant this term. Social Democrat parliamentarian Carlo Sommaruga was newly elected to the executive board.
The OSA represents the interests of the expat Swiss community, which has 776,000 registered members mostly in Europe but also across the globe.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland to offer Covid vaccination for Swiss Abroad
This content was published on
The government wants to widen its Covid-19 vaccination programme to include Swiss living abroad and cross-border workers commuting to Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.