Cluster: Swiss Abroad

The Swiss abroad – forgotten voters?

This content was published on Nov 28, 2002 The initiative from the Swiss People’s Party was defeated by only 3,422 votes and it is possible that Swiss citizens living abroad played a crucial role in the final result. Figures from three Swiss cantons indicate that voters living abroad were much more likely to have rejected the initiative than those living in Switzerland. Cantons…

Swiss Politics

Asylum vote: authorities order manual recount

This content was published on Nov 27, 2002 The definitive, official result of the vote on tightening the country’s asylum laws is not now expected before February. Alexander Trechsel, political analyst “The vote recount must be respected. In a democracy it must be possible to recount the ballots.” The asylum proposal, submitted by the rightwing People’s Party, was rejected by a majority of…

Swiss Politics

René Felber on why Switzerland should join the EU

This content was published on Nov 26, 2002 René Felber, a keen supporter of membership, told swissinfo he still believes the country should join. Switzerland’s rejection of the EEA prompted the government to seek alternate ways of forging closer ties with the EU. Its efforts led to a series of seven bilateral agreements governing issues such as trade and the free movement of…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland signs global pact to curb ballistic missiles

This content was published on Nov 26, 2002 Although not legally binding, it is the most wide-ranging non-proliferation deal ever signed. Some 93 countries, with the notable exceptions of China, Iran, India, Pakistan and Israel, signed the transparency measure at a conference in The Hague. Each year, signatory states will declare their inventory of ballistic missiles as well as provide information on any…

Swiss Politics

Toni Bortoluzzi – stalking horse for the right

This content was published on Nov 26, 2002 To that end, the rightwing party put forward Toni Bortoluzzi, a member of its Zurich section, as an alternative candidate for the Social Democratic seat. His chances of being elected were nil since the two other main parties on the right and centre-right, the Radicals and the Christian Democrats, were not prepared to consider a…

Swiss Politics

Vote reveals extent of unease over asylum

This content was published on Nov 25, 2002 Political analysts told swissinfo the outcome sent a clear message that politicians must take more seriously calls for a stricter asylum policy. “We’re confronted with the feeling that nothing has really been done with the refugee issue,” said Julian Hottinger, senior researcher at the Institute of Federalism, Fribourg University. “People weren’t really looking to pass…

Swiss Politics

Dreifuss leaves behind a controversial political legacy

This content was published on Nov 25, 2002 Even her political opponents concede that her retirement on December 31 marks an end of an era in Swiss politics. Dreifuss reached the high point of her career in 1999 when, as part of Switzerland’s rotating presidency, she became the first woman to be the country’s head of state. In her ten years as interior…

Swiss Politics

A winning formula

This content was published on Nov 25, 2002 It shared out cabinet posts in a way that mirrored the linguistic and political landscape of the time, but four decades later it no longer reflects the parties’ share of the vote. The division of seats (four for German speakers, three for Latins) still corresponds to the linguistic composition of the country. In the last…

From Radical state to “Magic Formula”

This content was published on Nov 25, 2002 The first coalition government came into being in 1891, and since then power sharing has become characteristic of the way Switzerland is governed. The most ambitious power-sharing arrangement has been the “Magic Formula”, established in 1959, in which cabinet seats are shared out among the four main parties. The Radicals developed and largely imposed the…

Swiss Politics

Voting procedure before election day

This content was published on Nov 25, 2002 A few days later the party leaders interview the candidates and make an initial recommendation to their own parliamentary group. Approximately a week later the parliamentary group interviews the candidates again and draws up a shortlist. These names are then proposed to parliament (the Senate and the House of Representatives). The shortlisted candidates are usually…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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The Swiss abroad – forgotten voters?

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Asylum vote: authorities order manual recount

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René Felber on why Switzerland should join the EU

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Switzerland signs global pact to curb ballistic missiles

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Toni Bortoluzzi – stalking horse for the right

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Vote reveals extent of unease over asylum

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Dreifuss leaves behind a controversial political legacy

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A winning formula

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From Radical state to “Magic Formula”

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Voting procedure before election day

Popular Stories

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