Cluster: Democracy

Will Catalonia’s independence vote go ahead?

This content was published on Sep 8, 2014 Catalan President Artur Mas has promised a referendum allowing Catalans to decide whether they want the wealthy northeastern region to break away from Spain. But Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to block the move in the courts, saying such a vote would be unconstitutional. The vote would come nearly two months after an independence…

Opinion

Democracy

The two tales of ‘Scotalonia’

This content was published on Sep 8, 2014 Two old European nations are about to decide their statehood. While the Scots are addressing the issues linked to independence, the Catalans have to struggle for their right to vote on independence, writes Bruno Kaufmann, editor-in-chief of people2power.info.

Democracy

Hong Kong braces for protests over democracy

This content was published on Sep 2, 2014 Last Sunday’s move by the Chinese government to rule out open nomination of candidates for the chief executive election in 2017 has sparked anger among pro-democracy groups.External link The question of how Hong Kong should choose its next leader has been the focus of attention in recent months, leading to several protests and large-scale rallies…

Democracy

Scottish university hosts online referendum course

This content was published on Aug 26, 2014 Struggling to get your head around the Scottish referendum and its wider implications? The University of Edinburgh has launched a free six-week online courseExternal link to help people better understand the issues behind the vote. ‘Towards Scottish Independence? Understanding the Referendum’ is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) being offered by the university. The course,…

Democracy

Translation error found in Ecopop initiative text

This content was published on Aug 25, 2014 On that day the Swiss people will vote on an initiative entitled “Stop overpopulation – safeguard our natural environment”, submitted by environmentalist group Ecopop. The French version of the text, which was published in April 2011, is misleading because its wording suggests that in the future the annual net inflow of immigrants to Switzerland should…

Democracy

Health vote splits opinion but set for defeat

This content was published on Aug 22, 2014 The proposal to introduce a single health insurance scheme strongly divides the different language regions in Switzerland ahead of a nationwide ballot on September 28. Pollsters expect a majority of voters to reject the initiative.

Democracy

Pro-life group fails to win support for initiative

This content was published on Aug 19, 2014 The initiators of a popular initiative demanding the prohibition of abortions in Switzerland have failed to collect a sufficient number of signatures.

Democracy

Quotas create dilemma for rightwing employers

This content was published on Aug 19, 2014 “No system is free. There is always a price to pay,” warns Urs Meister of the think tank Avenir Suisse. However, entrepreneurs from the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, which pushed through quotas at the ballot box, seem unfazed. Members of the People’s Party who run their own business and are, or have been, parliamentarians are…

Opinion

Democracy

An independent country? Scotland and direct democracy

This content was published on Aug 19, 2014 Whatever the result, the Scottish example shows it is possible for a nation to debate fundamental questions of national identity in an intelligent, informed and inclusive way.

Democracy

Vaud pays high price for local democracy

This content was published on Aug 15, 2014 The French-speaking regional newspaper 24heures External link published an article on Friday highlighting a growing trend in canton Vaud for local grassroots opposition via popular referendums to urban planning. The cities and towns of Lausanne, Aigle, Chavannes-près-Renens, Bussigny, Bassins, Yvorne and Le Vaud have all experienced a spate of citizen-initiated referendums in recent months. “It’s a…

Cluster: Democracy

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Cluster: Democracy

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Will Catalonia’s independence vote go ahead?

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The two tales of ‘Scotalonia’

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Hong Kong braces for protests over democracy

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Scottish university hosts online referendum course

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Translation error found in Ecopop initiative text

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Health vote splits opinion but set for defeat

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Pro-life group fails to win support for initiative

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Quotas create dilemma for rightwing employers

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An independent country? Scotland and direct democracy

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Vaud pays high price for local democracy

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