Swiss abroad seek parliamentary voice
A record number of Swiss expatriates are set to contest seats in this October’s general election.
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) said at least sixteen candidates had so far put their names forward.
Twelve expatriates are to campaign for the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, while three others from the Radical Party will also fight for a place in the House of Representatives.
A Swiss woman living in neighbouring France has also declared her intention to stand for election on behalf of a small religious party.
No expatriates have announced their intention to stand for the Social Democrats, even though a recent poll of Swiss abroad put them ahead of the other main political parties.
According to a survey conducted in June by the GfS research institute, 31 per cent of expatriates would vote for the Social Democrats, ahead of the Radicals on 18 per cent and the People’s Party, favoured by a quarter of those polled.
Political clout
Known as the “fifth Switzerland”, Swiss citizens abroad have long been recognised by the country’s main political parties as an important group of voters.
Of the 600,000 Swiss estimated to be living outside their home country, 82,000 were registered to cast their ballot last year, making them the fourth largest group of voters after Switzerland’s three biggest cantons – Zurich, Bern and Vaud.
Expatriates have only been eligible to vote in Swiss parliamentary elections for the past eleven years.
During that time, fourteen have campaigned – unsuccessfully – for a seat in parliament.
Brussels-based Pierre-Alain Bolomey – who stood for election as a Social Democrat in 1999 – came close, when he narrowly lost out on a seat in the House of Representatives by a margin of just 2,000 votes.
Unknown faces
OSA president Georg Stucky, said he was optimistic about the candidates’ chances of success in 2003, but admitted that many would be hampered by the fact that they are unknown back home.
Stucky believes that People’s Party member Rolf Schudel – a Swiss entrepreneur from South Africa – has the most chance of being elected.
Although Stucky does not share Schudel’s political beliefs, he argues that it is important to give expatriates their own voice in parliament.
swissinfo with agencies
A record number of expatriate Swiss are to stand as candidates in October’s general election.
The rightwing Swiss People’s Party is fielding the largest number of expatriate candidates – 12 of the 16 running for a seat in the House of Representatives.
According to a poll conducted in June, 31% of Swiss abroad would vote for the Social Democrats, with 18% for the Radicals and 15% for the People’s Party.
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