Cluster: Democracy

Swiss citizens may force firms to respect rights

This content was published on Apr 21, 2015 A broad coalition of civil society groups has launched a people’s initiative calling for stricter rules to force Swiss companies to respect human rights and environmental standards abroad as well as at home.

Democracy

Student grants torn between fairness and federalism

This content was published on Apr 21, 2015 Opponents – everyone apart from the political left – call for federalism to be respected. In Switzerland, education is a cantonal issue and this includes student grants. The cantons are free to fix their criteria and the conditions for obtaining them, as well as their size. As a result, not only the likelihood of getting…

Opinion

Democracy

More democracy through greater focus

This content was published on Apr 19, 2015 To stop the most important instrument in Switzerland’s direct democracy turning into a farce, reforms are urgently needed to improve the effectiveness of initiatives while preventing their abuse. The initiative, that keystone of Swiss direct democracy, has become distanced from its true function as a tool for expressing popular opposition. Its purpose today has turned…

Democracy

What’s a referendum?

This content was published on Apr 15, 2015 A referendum is a nationwide vote called to challenge a piece of legislation already approved by parliament. If a group opposed to the new law manages to collect at least 50,000 signatures within 100 days of the official publication of the proposed legislation, it is again put to a nationwide vote. Such a vote is…

Hand-wringing over unorthodox use of political initiative

This content was published on Apr 15, 2015 Narrowly passed by the electorate in 2010, the original initiative text called for the automatic expulsion of foreign criminals for certain crimes, including murder, rape, robbery and human trafficking, but also less serious offences. Long procedural delays having to do with proportionality, the definition of crimes specified by the initiative, and its compatibility with international…

Opinion

Democracy

Commission wants a more efficient transnational democracy

This content was published on Apr 13, 2015 The European Commission is a model student when it comes to following the rules, and so- just in time and as required by law – it has presented a reportExternal link on the first three years of the European Citizens’ initiative. This historic first tool of direct citizen participation at the transnational level was introduced…

Democracy

Voters have final say on radio and TV fees

This content was published on Apr 12, 2015 “A change from a receiver to a household system is sensible,” says parliamentarian Kurt Fluri of the centre-right Radical Party. “Because now you can get programmes not just from radios and TV sets, but also from devices that nearly everyone carries on the go,” Fluri adds. However, Roland Büchel of the Swiss People’s Party is…

Democracy

‘A referendum is democratic only if it is transparent’

This content was published on Apr 10, 2015 Last November, the Catalan authorities organised a vote, but it was mainly symbolic as the principle of self-determination of a region is ruled out by Spain’s constitution. The government in Madrid lacks the political will to open channels that would allow a democratic expression on the issue of secession, according to experts. “It is not…

Democracy

New immigration vote ‘inevitable’, says EU

This content was published on Apr 10, 2015 In an interview with Swiss newspaper La Liberté on Thursday, EU diplomat Maciej Popowski said the Swiss would “without doubt” have to decide again by the end of 2016. “It’s unimaginable that one takes a step backwards. Safeguard clauses belong to the past,” said Popowski, deputy secretary-general of the European External Action Service since November…

Opinion

Democracy

Buhari’s victory in Nigerian election has global significance

This content was published on Apr 8, 2015 Four years after the Jasmin revolution Tunisia has a modern constitution, a freely elected parliament and president – and also a new coalition government. But the "Arab world's first modern democracy" is challenged in its foundations by the deadly attack on the National Museum.

Cluster: Democracy

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