Cluster: Democracy

Has social media swallowed the Swiss news?

This content was published on Aug 24, 2016 Media researcher Linards UdrisExternal link says that social media is needed to reach a younger audience, but it brings no financial rewards. Soft news and emotional reporting are becoming more popular. Most Swiss media companies – including swissinfo.ch – are on FacebookExternal link, TwitterExternal link and YouTubeExternal link. This has affected how the news is…

Democracy

Encouraging citizen participation in politics

This content was published on Aug 24, 2016 The additional protocol of the European charter on local self-governmentExternal link aims to enshrine legal guarantees for citizens to participate in local politics, including local elections or access to legal documents, according to a justice ministry statement on Wednesday. The protocol, which came into force in 2012, also requires measures be taken to ensure transparency…

Democracy

Citizens to sue government over climate policy

This content was published on Aug 23, 2016 A group of women is planning to take the Swiss government to court over its alleged failure to take the necessary measures to combat climate change.

Democracy

Direct democracy in a US election year

This content was published on Aug 23, 2016 A representative system in one, a direct democracy in the other? In reality, both the United States and Switzerland are ‘hybrid’ democracies.

Democracy

Fear of terrorism spurs secret service reform

This content was published on Aug 19, 2016 The legal amendment will give the intelligence service the greenlight to tap private emails and monitor other online activities. The survey, published by the GfS Bern research and polling institute on Friday, found 58% of respondents coming out in favour of the change to the law, which was approved by parliament last year. Opponents of…

Democracy

Strong public service media are good for democracy

This content was published on Aug 17, 2016 The existence of solid, well-financed public service media is a sign of an equally solid democracy. That’s one of the conclusions of a study led by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Democracy

Reducing Switzerland’s carbon footprint by 2050

This content was published on Aug 11, 2016 It is a fact that the consumption of natural resources worldwide has been exceeding the Earth’s capacity to regenerate itself since the 1970s. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that by 2050 the global ecological footprint will triple if the economy of industrialised countries continues to grow at the same pace while developing countries…

Opinion

Democracy

Should Switzerland have a parliament for young people?

This content was published on Aug 8, 2016 In Switzerland there are 66 youth parliaments at the local and cantonal level. Although in many cases they are organised differently, they have a common denominator: engagement by young people for young people on political themes and for causes that are of concern to the young. At the national level, a comparable institutionalised form of…

Democracy

Direct democracy as safeguard against extremism

This content was published on Aug 7, 2016 “Our society is not split in two camps like in many other countries. This is thanks to federalism and to our direct democracy in particular,” Berset told the SonntagsBlick newspaper. He says Swiss citizens know the rules of public debates and when they end. It also helps that votes take place several times during the…

Democracy

Will Swiss voters increase retirement payments?

This content was published on Aug 7, 2016 Supporters of the initiative, including the Trade Union Federation (which introduced it) and leftwing political parties, see it as a solution in the fight against the ‘pension massacre’. Opponents from employers’ organisations and the rightwing and centrist parties call it “a foolish campaign with devastating consequences”. The initiative calls for a 10% increase in state…

Cluster: Democracy

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Cluster: Democracy

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Has social media swallowed the Swiss news?

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Encouraging citizen participation in politics

More

Citizens to sue government over climate policy

More

Direct democracy in a US election year

More

Fear of terrorism spurs secret service reform

More

Strong public service media are good for democracy

More

Reducing Switzerland’s carbon footprint by 2050

More

Should Switzerland have a parliament for young people?

More

Direct democracy as safeguard against extremism

More

Will Swiss voters increase retirement payments?

Popular Stories

Most Discussed