Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Race is on as senior cabinet minister steps down

This content was published on Jul 9, 2010 The move is expected to give his centre-left Social Democratic Party new momentum ahead of next year’s general elections. Leuenberger downplayed the timing of his announcement at a news conference on Friday and he dismissed media speculation about possible tactical moves or a feeling of personal frustration. He said he had chosen this moment to…

Swiss Politics

Forty years of politics

This content was published on Jul 9, 2010 When Moritz Leuenberger leaves cabinet at the end of 2010, the transport minister will have spent over 15 years in government, well beyond the average ten years most cabinet ministers last. But for Leuenberger, politics has been his passion for more than four decades (All pictures: Keystone, RDB)

Long-serving Swiss cabinet minister resigns

This content was published on Jul 9, 2010 The member of the centre-left Social Democratic Party from Zurich joined the government in 1995 and was responsible for transport, energy, environment and communication. Leuenberger said he had chosen to announce his resignation nearly six months before to give parliament enough time to prepare for the election of a new Swiss president. The minister was…

Swiss Politics

Seeking closer ties between Bern and Jakarta

This content was published on Jul 8, 2010 The deal is to cover trade in goods and services, investment promotion and the protection intellectual property rights as well as public tenders and economic cooperation. “So far Swiss companies have not acknowledged the enormous potential of Indonesia which has the world’s third largest domestic consumer market. But the Swiss government has included Indonesia in…

Swiss Politics

Minister moots review of secret service files

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 Maurer said the rules were not always clear and needed to be clarified by parliament. He also called for a policy change to reduce the number of files, but he warned of drawing hasty conclusions. He added that an internal inspection in his ministry had shown back in 2009 that the amount of data stored…

Swiss Politics

Leuthard launches Efta deal in Indonesia

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 Swiss President Doris Leuthard met Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta on Wednesday. The two heads of state decided to begin negotiations over a comprehensive accord between Efta and Indonesia. The accord is a “further milestone” in the bilateral relationship, Leuthard noted after the one-hour meeting in the presidential palace. President Yudhoyono described the…

Swiss Politics

Teaching Swiss values abroad

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 These were some of the conclusions drawn at the annual Swiss schools abroad congress, which represents 17 establishments in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The meeting was held in Chur in the eastern canton of Graubünden. “Swiss schools abroad play a fundamental role in Switzerland’s presence worldwide and have contributed to reinforcing the country’s…

Jobless benefit cuts meet strong opposition

This content was published on Jul 6, 2010 They gathered more than 140,000 signatures in support of a referendum against the changes – nearly three times more than are needed – which they handed in to the federal chancellery on Tuesday. “The number of signatures is a clear sign that the issue is very much on people’s minds,” said Renzo Ambrosetti of the…

Swiss Politics

Initiative launched to end conscription

This content was published on Jul 5, 2010 The Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Group for Switzerland without an Army (GSoA) argue that Switzerland’s army is inordinately large and that the only things its bored soldiers learn how to do is kill time. Such a large defence force no longer reflects the reality of a post-Cold War world, they argue,…

Swiss Politics

Secret service files prompt muted reaction

This content was published on Jul 4, 2010 However, the public outcry – so far, at least – has been rather subdued, despite strong criticism in the media as well as by some politicians and judges. The federal data and information commissioner, Hanspeter Thür, does not mince his words. “It is a serious matter and it proves that controls have to be improved,”…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Race is on as senior cabinet minister steps down

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Forty years of politics

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Long-serving Swiss cabinet minister resigns

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Seeking closer ties between Bern and Jakarta

More

Minister moots review of secret service files

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Leuthard launches Efta deal in Indonesia

More

Teaching Swiss values abroad

More

Jobless benefit cuts meet strong opposition

More

Initiative launched to end conscription

More

Secret service files prompt muted reaction

Popular Stories

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