Swiss Abroad

Red tape to be cut for Swiss abroad voters

This content was published on May 31, 2011 The Senate on Tuesday unanimously followed the House of Representatives in approving a proposal which aims to waive a periodical renewal of a formal application. Both chambers unanimously found it was sufficient for an expatriate to take part in a nationwide ballot to prove his or her interest in democratic rights. Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey meets Georgian leaders

This content was published on May 30, 2011 Micheline Calmy-Rey, who holds this year’s rotating Swiss presidency, arrived in Georgia on Sunday for a two day visit. The two sides also discussed Russia’s possible membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Georgia, which already belongs to the WTO, has threatened to block Russia’s application. Russia and Georgia fought a lightning war in August…

Swiss Politics

“Golden age” of children’s rights could be over

This content was published on May 30, 2011 “The golden age of the rights of the child may be behind us,” said Jean Zermatten after his election. He said the committee faced numerous challenges, including the “endemic delay” in examining reports submitted by different states. He also pointed to a hardening of attitudes and laws in regard to young people in the context…

Swiss Politics

Costs of atomic energy opt-out remain unclear

This content was published on May 30, 2011 The cost of electricity is expected to rise, but there should also be positive outcomes for business. However, energy policy experts say they cannot yet give the full economic picture. Opting out of nuclear energy “will have its price” said Energy Minister Doris Leuthard in her announcement on May 25. But how much this will be…

Swiss Politics

Parliament tables nuclear power and EU ties

This content was published on May 30, 2011 Both chambers will discuss cabinet plans for a gradual phase-out of nuclear energy and more than 100 other proposals, including the promotion of energy saving and renewable resources. Switzerland currently has five nuclear reactors which the government is seeking to shut down by 2034. In other business, the House of Representatives and the Senate will…

Swiss Politics

UN rights chief condemns Arab Spring “brutality”

This content was published on May 30, 2011 Pillay told the meeting on Monday that the “brutality and scale” of Libyan and Syrian crackdowns on uprisings had been “particularly shocking in their serious contempt for human rights”. Libya and Syria, as well as Bahrain and Yemen, had shown excessive force in suppressing demonstrations, which was only exacerbating tensions, she said. The “repression and…

Swiss Politics

Poll finds huge support for nuclear opt-out

This content was published on May 29, 2011 The poll, published in the SonntagsZeitung newspaper on Sunday, apparently shows the highest support yet for opting out of atomic energy. In all, 503 people were surveyed by Isopublic between May 26 and May 28. The government announced its decision on May 25. A previous poll, carried out two and a half months ago, shortly…

Swiss Politics

Minister rejects criticism over atom opt-out

This content was published on May 28, 2011 She said in newspaper interviews that the electricity industry was strongly regulated and therefore sluggish and that there had not been enough investment in the electricity network. The announcement on May 25 by the cabinet that it wanted to gradually decommission all of Switzerland’s nuclear power plants by 2034 has been denounced by the Swiss business federation…

Swiss Politics

Protests divide Syrians in Switzerland

This content was published on May 28, 2011 While some Syrians feel the protests are a consequence of the Arab Spring sweeping through North Africa, others say wider diplomatic forces are at work. Although all the Syrians who spoke to swissinfo.ch acknowledged that Syria needed reforms, they had different views on how to achieve change, how extensive it should be and who is…

Swiss Politics

Swiss banks deny cluster bomb investment charges

This content was published on May 27, 2011 According to a new report, 16 Swiss companies are among 166 leading financial institutions worldwide that are funding cluster bomb and parts manufacturing, despite the entry into force of an international treaty banning such munitions in 2010. Globally, financial institutions from 15 countries are channelling more than $39 billion (SFr34.2 billion) into eight bomb and…

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Swiss Abroad

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Red tape to be cut for Swiss abroad voters

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Calmy-Rey meets Georgian leaders

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“Golden age” of children’s rights could be over

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Costs of atomic energy opt-out remain unclear

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Parliament tables nuclear power and EU ties

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UN rights chief condemns Arab Spring “brutality”

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Poll finds huge support for nuclear opt-out

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Minister rejects criticism over atom opt-out

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Protests divide Syrians in Switzerland

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Swiss banks deny cluster bomb investment charges

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