Cluster: Democracy

Consensus politics should survive reform plans

This content was published on Aug 28, 2009 The announcement comes amid a heated debate over whether President Hans-Rudolf Merz was right in acting alone last week by apologising to Libya for the 2008 arrest of Moammar Gaddafi’s son and daughter-in-law. The justice ministry has been given until the spring of 2010 to come up with proposals. A few potential reforms were listed…

Democracy

Can Sunday shopping help beat the crisis?

This content was published on Jul 19, 2009 Sunday shopping in particular is still frowned upon in many parts of Switzerland. Proposals to change the situation have met with stiff opposition from the unions. Economic forecasts for Switzerland have been glum in the past months, with reports of falling exports and a stagnating economy. The government’s solution to the current financial crisis has…

Democracy

Paedophile vote set to cause headaches

This content was published on Nov 30, 2008 Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said acceptance of the initiative to do away with a statute of limitations for paedophile crimes posed a number of legal issues that would not be easy to solve. The government and the major political parties, except for the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, were opposed to the initiative, put forward by…

Democracy

Low Swiss abortion rate runs counter to norm

This content was published on Nov 7, 2007 The Swiss abortion law was relaxed in 2002. Until then it had been one of the most restrictive on the continent. According to the Federal Statistics Office, there were 10,500 abortions in Switzerland in 2006. This is equivalent to 6.8 terminations per 1,000 women aged 15-44. This is below the rate of neighbouring countries Germany…

Democracy

Swiss face up to infectious disease threat

This content was published on Aug 23, 2007 The Geneva-based organisation is calling for increased cooperation to combat these threats, an area in which Switzerland has long been active. In all, 39 new diseases have developed since 1967, including HIV, Ebola and Sars, said the WHO in its report entitled “A safer future: global public safety in the 21st century”. A major factor…

Democracy

Ancient institution looks to the future

This content was published on May 17, 2006 Senator Fritz Schiesser says the gathering – a democratic institution unique to Switzerland – gives citizens the chance to have their say in public and shape local politics. Glarus is just one of two Swiss cantons where the Landsgemeinde has stood the test of time over nearly seven centuries. Every year on the first Sunday…

Democracy

Where democracy springs eternal

This content was published on May 15, 2006 swissinfo visited Glarus, a mountain region in eastern Switzerland, where the 700-year tradition is very much alive and continues to draw the crowds. Even the most unsuspecting visitor could tell that something was going on. On the eve of the Landsgemeinde earlier this month, hundreds of people were selling their wares or looking for a…

Democracy

Swiss learn democracy by voting

This content was published on Dec 14, 2004 “The Guidebook to Direct Democracy in Switzerland and beyond”, published on Tuesday, explains citizens’ involvement in the political decision-making process. Bruno Kaufmann is one of the editors of the book and president of the non-governmental Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe (IRI) in Amsterdam. Kaufmann has a very positive view of the Swiss system, which allows…

Democracy

Tax vote faces little opposition

This content was published on Nov 18, 2004 Yet the SFr30 billion ($26 billion) raised through direct tax and VAT forms nearly two-thirds of the annual revenue of the federal authorities. The vote is required as the federal authorities’ current mandate to levy taxes runs out at the end of 2006. “It is a peculiarity of our country that Swiss voters from time…

Democracy

Switzerland is no longer a “special case”

This content was published on Feb 12, 2004 But in many respects the country has more in common with other modern democracies than it might care to admit. The report’s author, Barbara Beck, notes that the twin traditions of federalism and direct democracy have a huge impact on every aspect of life in Switzerland. They allow the Swiss more of a say in…

Cluster: Democracy

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Cluster: Democracy

More

Consensus politics should survive reform plans

More

Can Sunday shopping help beat the crisis?

More

Paedophile vote set to cause headaches

More

Low Swiss abortion rate runs counter to norm

More

Swiss face up to infectious disease threat

More

Ancient institution looks to the future

More

Where democracy springs eternal

More

Swiss learn democracy by voting

More

Tax vote faces little opposition

More

Switzerland is no longer a “special case”

Popular Stories

Most Discussed