Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Mountain village converts to a princedom

This content was published on Mar 20, 2007 On Tuesday, the authorities in Alvaneu, near the resort of Davos, announced that the title – which was advertised in the press – had been awarded to canton Zurich resident and media expert Peter Martin Wettler. The “Prince of Belfort” as he will be known – named after a local castle and hotel – will…

Swiss Politics

Foreigners to flex voting muscle in Geneva

This content was published on Mar 19, 2007 The decision to grant the vote to foreigners who have lived in Switzerland for at least eight years has swelled the canton’s electorate – at a local level – by more than a third to 290,000. Geneva’s huge non-Swiss population won the right to vote in a historic ballot in April last year. Foreigners make…

Swiss Politics

Cost confusion blamed for health vote failure

This content was published on Mar 11, 2007 Supporters of the people’s initiative vowed to fight on to reform the country’s expensive health system. Opponents said they were relieved at the outcome. In all, 71.2 per cent of voters rejected the reform, which would have replaced the current 87 private insurers providing mandatory coverage for basic health care and introduce premiums based in…

Swiss Politics

Government calls for naturalisation changes

This content was published on Mar 9, 2007 The government says it favours extending from five to eight years the period during which naturalisation obtained under false pretences can be annulled. The recommendations are part of a report, published on Friday by the Federal Migration Office, which the government commissioned in 2004 after a failure at the polls. In September 2004 Swiss voters…

Swiss Politics

Festival gives a voice to human rights

This content was published on Mar 8, 2007 The event’s ambition is to give a voice to all those who are suffering and denounce problems such as violence against women or the difficulties faced by migrants in Switzerland and abroad. “We want to highlight these problems wherever they happen,” Leo Kaneman, one of the festival’s founders, told swissinfo. This year the organisers have…

Swiss Politics

Call for action to stem Iraqi refugee crisis

This content was published on Mar 6, 2007 Millions of Iraqis have fled their homes due to ongoing violence, but the exodus continues – up to 50,000 more every month, according to the United Nations. “This is a very serious humanitarian question,” Toni Frisch, head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, told swissinfo. “The problem is I don’t see any improvement and we…

Swiss Politics

Swiss remember first step in women’s suffrage

This content was published on Mar 3, 2007 The move, although controversial at the time, was hailed as a big step for women’s suffrage. But a recent study shows that Swiss women – who obtained the vote at the federal level in 1971 – are not always exercising this right. Although officially still not allowed to vote, more than 30 women went to…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey accuses EU of lacking respect

This content was published on Mar 2, 2007 She repeated demands that Brussels show Switzerland more respect during a speech on Friday at the opening of the annual Muba trade fair in Basel. But she warned against writing off bilateralism because of the spat. Calmy-Rey, who is also the Swiss foreign minister, admitted the “EU-instigated” disagreement regarding tax practices in some Swiss cantons…

Swiss Politics

Swiss seek deal with EU on training programmes

This content was published on Mar 1, 2007 The cabinet approved a mandate for negotiations likely to begin later this year. Brussels still has to decide whether it wants to open talks on the issue. “We don’t think that the ongoing row between Brussels and Switzerland over corporate tax breaks will have an impact on negotiations on Swiss participation in EU education and…

Swiss Politics

Swissair grounding

This content was published on Mar 1, 2007

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

More

Mountain village converts to a princedom

More

Foreigners to flex voting muscle in Geneva

More

Cost confusion blamed for health vote failure

More

Government calls for naturalisation changes

More

Festival gives a voice to human rights

More

Call for action to stem Iraqi refugee crisis

More

Swiss remember first step in women’s suffrage

More

Calmy-Rey accuses EU of lacking respect

More

Swiss seek deal with EU on training programmes

More

Swissair grounding

Popular Stories

Most Discussed