Internal: Archive

Public sector worker pay under the microscope

This content was published on May 18, 2016 One of the aims of the “Pro Public Services” initiative is to restrict wages to the same levels as those earned by civil servants and other people who work directly for the federal administration. For example, chief executives should not earn more than a government minister (CHF475,000), according to the initiative. Swisscom boss Urs Schaeppi…

A spoof initiative claims victory despite failure

This content was published on May 17, 2016 The proposal was launched 18 months ago and caused considerable amusement in the media near and far. It was a “political work of art”, says Christian Mueller, the man behind the action that will come to an unspectacular end on Wednesday. The idea was a protest against a rightwing initiative, approved by voters in 2010,…

Swiss Airbnb rentals skyrocket

This content was published on May 17, 2016 While hotels, camping sites and bed and breakfast accommodations in Switzerland have recorded lower European visitors in recent years, mainly due to the strong Swiss franc, the apartment sharing start-up is reporting growing interest. Three years ago the hotel industry association Hotelleriesuisse considered Airbnb a niche sector, with 2,000 apartments and rooms for rental. The…

‘I don’t run [UBS wealth] for good media coverage’

This content was published on May 17, 2016 Mr Zeltner has more clients to occupy him than most. Some of the world’s richest heirs and entrepreneurs have entrusted him and his team with almost CHF1 trillion ($1 trillion) of their money. That buys a lot of face time. The 49-year-old has more than just his paymasters to satisfy. He has had the weight…

What the Swiss can learn about e-campaigning

This content was published on May 17, 2016 Amelia ShowalterExternal link, 32, served as Director of Digital Analytics for Obama in 2012, leading a team which implemented hundreds of experiments to improve the performance of digital outreach. Now she gives courses on e-campaigning. At the end of April she was in Zurich for training on digital acquisition, which was organised by KampagnenforumExternal link.…

Direct democracy enters digital age

This content was published on May 17, 2016 One click to select the topic, three fields to fill in (surname, first name, email) and, hey presto, you receive a form that you can print out, sign, fold in two and slip into a mailbox – the postage is paid by the recipient. From now on, this method of collecting signatures for the tools…

Switzerland drags feet over renewables

This content was published on May 17, 2016 Switzerland is ranked 25th out of 29 countries in a comparative European study by the Swiss Energy Foundation, published on Tuesday. Only Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary and Latvia produce less wind and solar energy per inhabitant than Switzerland. Denmark (2,619 Kwh per inhabitant), Sweden (1,704 Kwh) and Germany (1,556 Kwh) topped the table. Switzerland’s poor ranking…

Switzerland weathers heavy rains

This content was published on May 15, 2016 Swiss public radio RTS reported Sunday that it has rained as much since Friday as in the entire month of May. Lucerne saw flooding due to 135 millimetres (over 5 inches) of rain falling within three days – a record, according to Swiss public television SRF. Other parts of the country reached up to 100-140 litres of…

FIFA audit committee chair resigns in protest

This content was published on May 14, 2016 Italo-Swiss Scala made the announcement the day after the 66th FIFA congress in Mexico City, which brings together the world’s football federations. At the congress, new FIFA president Gianni Infantino adopted an amendment that would give FIFA’s governance the power to appoint or dismiss chairmen of the ethics and audit committees. With this decision, it…

Opinion

‘Asylum law revision heads in wrong direction’

This content was published on May 14, 2016 Switzerland needs more systematic border controls as well as an improved system to repatriate illegal immigrants, she argues. True refugees, who have to fear for their lives and limbs, should certainly receive aid and protection – there is no question about that. It corresponds to Switzerland’s long-standing humanitarian asylum tradition, which we certainly want to…

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Internal: Archive

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Public sector worker pay under the microscope

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A spoof initiative claims victory despite failure

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Swiss Airbnb rentals skyrocket

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‘I don’t run [UBS wealth] for good media coverage’

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What the Swiss can learn about e-campaigning

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Direct democracy enters digital age

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Switzerland drags feet over renewables

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Switzerland weathers heavy rains

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FIFA audit committee chair resigns in protest

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‘Asylum law revision heads in wrong direction’

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