Cluster: Democracy

Cabinet calls for calm after immigration vote

This content was published on Feb 12, 2014 He said many questions remained open just three days after the ballot. In a bid to halt speculation and allay public concerns, Burkhalter acknowledged the situation was difficult for the government, but he warned against over-reacting in any way. “The reaction of the EU is hardly a surprise, the risk of a yes-vote to the…

Democracy

Ticino says ‘basta!’ to cross-border workers

This content was published on Feb 12, 2014 Italian-speaking Ticino, which extends into the Italian Lombardy region like a wedge, approved the rightwing Swiss People’s Party’s initiative against EU immigration on Sunday with the highest percentage of yes votes of any canton. Precisely 68.3% of voters gave the nod to re-introducing quotas for foreign workers. “Free movement of people with the EU? Basta!”…

Democracy

Swiss immigration vote spreads ‘hope’ in Britain

This content was published on Feb 12, 2014 The UK Independence Party (UKIP) and Eurosceptic Conservatives are pointing to the Swiss relationship with Europe to argue that Britain could also set its own quotas if it too were out of the EU. “The Swiss people have taken advantage of their position outside the European Union to set their own immigration rules in their…

Democracy

Jobs fears sparked by immigration vote

This content was published on Feb 11, 2014 The Trade Union Federation fears a major hit to the workforce if the EU retaliates by tearing up other bilateral agreements. Credit Suisse bank estimates 80,000 fewer jobs will be created in the next three years as the “poison” of uncertainty forces firms to put the brakes on investment in Switzerland. The bank says that…

Democracy

Will the EU give Switzerland the cold shoulder?

This content was published on Feb 11, 2014 “This will clearly have implications for the rest of the agreements we have with Switzerland,” said European Commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde shortly after Sunday’s vote. Representatives of the EU member states are set to decide on Thursday whether to proceed with talks about an institutional accord with Switzerland. For the time being, the EU’s diplomatic…

Democracy

Economics minister: ‘We misjudged it’

This content was published on Feb 10, 2014 “I was actually confident,” he told the Eco news programme on Swiss public television, SRF, on Monday. “I said to myself that this affects the entire country – directly or indirectly it affects every workplace. Therefore the Swiss will consider particularly carefully whether there should be a new system or not.” As it turned out,…

Democracy

Newspapers stress significance of immigration vote

This content was published on Feb 10, 2014 Most papers draw a comparison with the vote in 1992, when the Swiss people narrowly rejected membership of the European Economic Area, the predecessor of the European Union. The business-friendly Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes that the decision is “much more than a political slap in the face”, calling it a “watershed” comparable to that of…

Democracy

Cautious European reaction to Swiss vote

This content was published on Feb 9, 2014 The European Commission in a terse statement said the result of the vote went against the accord on the free movement of people between the EU and Switzerland. “The EU will examine the implications of this initiative on EU-Swiss relations as a whole. In this context the position of the Swiss government on the result…

Democracy

Swiss agree to curb immigration and rethink EU deal

This content was published on Feb 9, 2014 The initiative was approved by just 50.3% of votes cast and was passed by a majority of cantons. The move by the Swiss People’s Party – known for its anti-foreigner and anti-EU agenda – will see the reintroduction of quotas, as well as a national preference when filling job vacancies and restrictions of immigrants’ rights…

Democracy

Abortions to remain covered by health insurance

This content was published on Feb 9, 2014 Voter turnout on Sunday was about 56%; of those, 69.8% rejected the initiative. The highest percentage of “no” votes – 89.1% – was cast in canton Vaud. Only one canton said “yes”: Appenzell Inner Rhodes, with 50.9% of the votes. Backed by an inter-party committee made up essentially of conservative Christians, the initiative called for the introduction…

Cluster: Democracy

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Cluster: Democracy

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Cabinet calls for calm after immigration vote

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Ticino says ‘basta!’ to cross-border workers

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Swiss immigration vote spreads ‘hope’ in Britain

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Jobs fears sparked by immigration vote

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Will the EU give Switzerland the cold shoulder?

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Economics minister: ‘We misjudged it’

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Newspapers stress significance of immigration vote

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Cautious European reaction to Swiss vote

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Swiss agree to curb immigration and rethink EU deal

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Abortions to remain covered by health insurance

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