Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The number 27 is famously bad luck for musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse – all of whom died at that age – but could it be good news for the 800,000 Swiss citizens who live abroad? Would the creation of Switzerland’s 27th canton, specifically for the Swiss Abroad, result in them having more say in elections? Or should political representation be limited to those who live “at home”?
More on that and other news and stories from Switzerland on Friday.
In the news: Canton Vaud wants to tell the world about its charms, a new space observatory in Bern, the Gotthard Road Tunnel will re-open, and – unconnected – fewer road deaths and inuries.
- Canton Vaud in western Switzerland, via Vaud Promotion, has unveiled its new strategy for raising its profile and enhancing its appeal, particularly in German-speaking Switzerland. Cantonal Agriculture Minister Valérie Dittli cited the example of Vaud wine, which, unlike among the older generations, is “little known among young German-speakers”.
- A new observatory called “Space Eye” in Niedermuhlern, canton Bern, will open to the public on September 23. Housed in a building designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, it aims to provide the public with knowledge about space and the environment. Space Eye houses the largest telescope in Switzerland.
- The Gotthard Road Tunnel, which was closed on Sunday owing to a damaged ceiling, will be re-opened to traffic at 8pm local time tonight. The Federal Roads Office said the repair work and tests would be completed by then.
- The figures for deaths and serious injuries on Swiss roads saw a decline in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year. One hundred people lost their lives and 1,818 were seriously injured.
Should the Swiss Abroad have their own canton in order to have more say in elections in Switzerland? Political scientist Claude Longchamp examines the arguments for and against a 27th canton.
Under the current electoral system, Swiss candidates who live abroad have little chance of winning a seat. Longchamp says that if it were done properly, a canton for the Swiss Abroad would have two seats in the Senate and half a dozen seats in the House of Representatives, giving them the same weight in parliament as, say, canton Graubünden.
Support for the proposal in Switzerland comes mainly from the left. For those opposed, the only way to win a seat in either house of parliament in Switzerland is through one’s canton of residence – the Swiss Abroad, like everyone else, need to get elected this way, they say.
Opponents also argue that expats tend to have few common interests that would come from living in the same place. Given this situation, letting them have a new canton and a right to “regional” representation would soon show its limitations, they argue. Longchamp is not sure about this. Common interests among politically active Swiss Abroad include free movement of people and social insurance programmes, he says. Of course, election to parliament would mean they would have their say on every national issue.
“I get the reasoning of those who want to see a 27th canton. It derives from the sheer lack of opportunity for Swiss Abroad candidates to get elected,” Longchamp says. “I think opponents and promoters of a 27th canton both have a point – but no more than that! That makes it hard to put the Swiss Abroad in the same league as a domestic canton.”
There is a case for strengthening their parliamentary voice as an interest group, he believes. It would also be an idea to strengthen the Council of the Swiss Abroad. “Both these strategies would be easier to implement. Because creating a 27th canton would mean a constitutional amendment. That would come down to a nationwide vote with an overall majority and a majority of cantons needed to win it. There’s no chance of this happening in the absence of broad cross-party consensus.”
A look at the aftermath of this week’s disturbing revelations that have shaken the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland.
An extensive, year-long study of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and others in Switzerland, commissioned by the Swiss Conference of Bishops and led by two University of Zurich historians, this week revealed more than 1,000 cases since 1950, including accusations against 510 people.
With few exceptions, those accused of wrongdoing were male. Over half of the victims were men or boys, and three-quarters of the documents showed the sexual abuse involved minors. In this article, Simon Bradley asks what this could mean for the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland.
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