Cluster: 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…

Democracy

Expats push for e-voting and electoral reform

This content was published on Aug 5, 2016 The 140 member assembly, meeting in the Swiss parliament on Friday, agreed to allow Swiss abroad communities in their countries to extend its electorate. The one-day session took place ahead of the annual Congress of the Swiss Abroad in Bern over the weekend. Following protracted discussions, the delegates voted for a proposal to grant expats,…

Democracy

What’s the future of the Swiss Abroad Organisation?

This content was published on Aug 3, 2016 The 140-strong Council of the Swiss Abroad represents the interest of the expatriate community, and its electoral base is made up mainly of Swiss clubs and associations around the world. However, only about 4% of the Swiss expatriates have joined such Swiss clubs. The younger and increasingly mobile generation is showing little interest in engaging…

Democracy

Tell gets his Big Apple

This content was published on Jul 31, 2016 A Swiss artist known for illuminating mountains and monuments around the world has unveiled a four-metre-high statue of William Tell in New York City.

Vote on fresh ideas to tackle immigration policy

This content was published on Jul 25, 2016 The Foraus foreign policy think-tankExternal link launched its project in April as a Swiss novelty. Over the past three months the website served as a public platform to collect all the proposals and the think-tank organised workshops, so called policy-hacks, in seven Swiss cities, including Geneva, Basel, Zurich, Bern and Lausanne, to generate fresh ideas.…

Democracy

Balancing older voters with younger ones

This content was published on Jul 20, 2016 Brexit, the British referendum decision to leave the European Union, has shown yet again that in Western democracies, older people are overrepresented among voters. And Switzerland is no exception. Ageing is an issue for Avenir SuisseExternal link, a think tank devoted to economic and social themes. On top of traditional topics like retirement and healthcare,…

Democracy

125 years of people’s initiatives

This content was published on Jul 17, 2016 As a key part of Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, the people’s, or citizen’s initiative allows each member of the Swiss electorate – including those living abroad – to propose a change to the constitution. An initiative can be launched by a single person, but more typically, an interest group collects at least 100,000 signatures.…

Cluster: Democracy

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Cluster: Democracy

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Reducing Switzerland’s carbon footprint by 2050

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Should Switzerland have a parliament for young people?

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Direct democracy as safeguard against extremism

More

Will Swiss voters increase retirement payments?

More

Expats push for e-voting and electoral reform

More

What’s the future of the Swiss Abroad Organisation?

More

Tell gets his Big Apple

More

Vote on fresh ideas to tackle immigration policy

More

Balancing older voters with younger ones

More

125 years of people’s initiatives

Popular Stories

Most Discussed