Swiss Abroad

Anti-gun move seen as attack on Swiss values

This content was published on Jan 4, 2011 Representatives of four centre-right and rightwing parties told a news conference the initiative by a broad alliance of NGOs and centre-left parties was disempowering law-abiding citizens and members of the militia army. They said existing measures to fight abuses are sufficient. “The Swiss gun law is very strict; let us not create unnecessary new ones,”…

Swiss Politics

Ivory Coast power struggle continues

This content was published on Jan 4, 2011 Gbagbo claims to be the rightful winner, alleging massive fraud in the stronghold of his rival, Alassane Ouattara. But the international community has thrown its weight behind Ouattara, declared the winner by the country’s Independent Electoral Commission. His victory has also been recognised by the United Nations, which had its own observers there. Africa expert…

Swiss Politics

Lump-sum taxation comes under the spotlight

This content was published on Jan 3, 2011 The controversial lump-sum taxation scheme, which allows cantons to set preferential rates for wealthy residents that settle in Switzerland from overseas, has come under increasing pressure both at home and from abroad. Some 5,000 people in Switzerland currently benefit from a system that ignores income and wealth, but typically sets taxes at around five times…

Swiss Politics

Social Democrats fight for equal opportunities

This content was published on Jan 3, 2011 A right to continuous training for all employees, extending health insurance and introducing a flexible retirement age between 62 and 65 are also listed as demands to improve social security and to further encourage equal opportunities. “Our welfare policy aims to give people the means to change their lives and reach new goals,” said party…

Swiss Politics

New president urges more self-confidence

This content was published on Jan 1, 2011 It is the second time that Calmy-Rey has held Switzerland’s largely ceremonial presidency, which rotates annually among the seven cabinet members. But 2011 promises to be more eventful than her previous term in 2007, owing to global financial problems and difficult relations with the European Union. The president has no special powers or privileges and…

Swiss Politics

Swiss cabinet goes old school in its new photo

This content was published on Jan 1, 2011 In a nod to the first cabinet photo, taken in 1993, the seven cabinet members, plus Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova, are posed in front of their meeting room. In contrast to then, women now make up the majority of the Swiss cabinet. In 1993 Ruth Dreifuss, later the first female president, was the only woman…

Swiss Politics

New Year marks start of legal reforms

This content was published on Jan 1, 2011 In a shift from the usual Swiss decentralisation, a new federal criminal procedure law is replacing Switzerland’s 26 cantonal codes at the federal level. As a result, criminal offences should be better defined in a standard way within the Swiss Penal Code and allow for prosecution and judgments according to the same rules. The Federal…

Swiss Politics

E-voting to advance slowly in 2011

This content was published on Dec 30, 2010 The halt, and government-imposed limitations, have frustrated the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (Osa) which says democratic rights are too often held hostage by the vagaries of global postal services. “It would have been appropriate for these two e-voting pilot cantons to have used the 2011 elections for first voting tests, since tests during nationwide…

Swiss Politics

Red Cross launches Ivory Coast appeal

This content was published on Dec 30, 2010 On the IFRC website, the Geneva-based federation said the money would go to the Red Cross National Societies of the countries neighbouring Ivory Coast where the refugees are fleeing amid political upheaval. “Over 15,100 people, mostly women and children, are believed to have fled the country, the vast majority having left for the eastern part…

Swiss Politics

Kosovo leader rejects Swiss bank account charges

This content was published on Dec 30, 2010 In an interview with the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, the Kosovo leader said the way charges had been laid against him by Swiss senator Dick Marty reminded him of the “propaganda of [Nazi] Joseph Goebbels”. Thaci said Marty’s report, which was published as part of a Council of Europe investigation, “is a document of a political act…

Swiss Abroad

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Swiss Abroad

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Anti-gun move seen as attack on Swiss values

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Ivory Coast power struggle continues

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Lump-sum taxation comes under the spotlight

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Social Democrats fight for equal opportunities

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New president urges more self-confidence

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Swiss cabinet goes old school in its new photo

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New Year marks start of legal reforms

More

E-voting to advance slowly in 2011

More

Red Cross launches Ivory Coast appeal

More

Kosovo leader rejects Swiss bank account charges

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