Cluster: Democracy

Swiss railways could benefit from fresh cash boost

This content was published on Dec 20, 2013 Less congestion on the streets, more seats on trains, half-hourly connections on main routes, expansion in all regions, better regulation of freight traffic – all this and much more is promised by a new bill. Every canton is to get a slice of the action, worth CHF6.4 billion ($7.2 billion). “This is not a transport…

Democracy

Raising the bar for people’s initiatives

This content was published on Dec 17, 2013 It’s Saturday afternoon on the Bärenplatz in Bern. Activists seeking signatures for people’s initiatives of all sorts make a point of setting up their tables on this crowded square in the Swiss capital, just a stone’s throw from the federal parliament. Andy Tschümperlin knows the scene well. He has often been one of the signature…

Democracy

Swiss fight over impact of EU immigration

This content was published on Dec 16, 2013 It’s the Swiss People’s Party that forced the vote. Its president, Toni Brunner, told swissinfo.ch that rejecting the initiative would be as good as giving in to excessive immigration. Since the progressive introduction of the accord between Switzerland and the EU granting free access to each other’s labour markets, up to 80,000 foreign workers have…

Democracy

EU ambassador warns over immigration vote

This content was published on Dec 8, 2013 In an interview with Swiss national television on Saturday evening, Richard Jones said Switzerland would have to revoke the bilateral agreement on the free movement of persons accord if Swiss people accepted the Swiss People’s Party’s initiative to limit mass immigration on February 9. This would have a knock-on effect and mean the cancelling of…

Democracy

Executive wage debate is far from over

This content was published on Nov 26, 2013 Besides curbing exorbitant executive salaries, the unsuccessful 1:12 initiative was aimed at increasing lower pay rates. This is also the aim of another initiative “to protect fair pay”, launched by the Swiss Trade Union Federation, which is currently being studied by parliament. This would introduce a legal minimum wage of CHF22 ($24) per hour, which…

Democracy

Salary limit judged too extreme by voters

This content was published on Nov 25, 2013 Although the public continues to shake a fist at massive executive pay, the idea of a fixed upper wage limit was seen as too extreme by many voters – 65.3% of whom on Sunday said no to the initiative by the youth wing of the centre-left Social Democratic Party. For Der Bund in Bern, the…

Democracy

Voters limit access to Swiss passport

This content was published on Nov 24, 2013 Nearly 56% of voters approved a proposal by the youth chapter of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party. The promoters had argued it was too easy to obtain a Swiss passport. Most other parties as well as the government recommended rejection of the proposal, saying it was an unnecessary rule and violated previous legislation. There are even doubts…

Democracy

Voters reject stay-at-home tax break

This content was published on Nov 24, 2013 Nearly 59% of voters said “no” to the popular initiative launched by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, which had called for tax breaks for parents with children at home to be “at least equivalent” to those for parents using daycare. “It was the financial consequences of the tax break initiative that convinced voters. This was…

Democracy

No upper limit put on executive salaries

This content was published on Nov 24, 2013 The vote brings to an end to more than six months of intense campaigning by the youth wing of the centre-left Social Democratic Party who were backed by trade unions. “We’re disappointed we lost today. Our opponents used scare tactics. Our fight will continue against fat cat salaries and an unfair pay system. This system has…

Democracy

Swiss Jura to remain divided

This content was published on Nov 24, 2013 About 72% of voters in the Bernese districts on Sunday rejected the proposal, putting on ice the proposed creation of an enlarged canton Jura in northwestern Switzerland. Despite the setback, individual communes can still organise a ballot at a local level within two years aimed at joining canton Jura. In canton Jura itself, 77% of…

Cluster: Democracy

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Cluster: Democracy

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Swiss railways could benefit from fresh cash boost

More

Raising the bar for people’s initiatives

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Swiss fight over impact of EU immigration

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EU ambassador warns over immigration vote

More

Executive wage debate is far from over

More

Salary limit judged too extreme by voters

More

Voters limit access to Swiss passport

More

Voters reject stay-at-home tax break

More

No upper limit put on executive salaries

More

Swiss Jura to remain divided

Popular Stories

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