Swiss Abroad

swissinfo launches election website

This content was published on Sep 15, 2003 swissinfo is launching a special site to help readers get to grips with the most important event in the Swiss political calendar. Switzerland’s parliamentary elections take place every four years when the Swiss people elect a new House of Representatives and most of the Senate. And once again voters are spoilt for choice: there are…

Swiss Politics

Rightwing looks west

This content was published on Sep 15, 2003 Of its 45 members in the House of Representatives, only three were elected in French-speaking cantons. The base of support for the party, which is leading in the opinion polls, is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. But political analyst Andreas Ladner expects the party to do well at the ballot box this time around…

Switzerland votes

This content was published on Sep 15, 2003 On October 19, the Swiss elected a new House of Representatives and a majority of the Senate. Parliamentary elections take place every four years. The key issues during the election campaign, and those likely to dominate the next parliament, were the economy, pensions and health. The rightwing Swiss People’s Party won the largest share of…

Switzerland set to expand trade with Libya

This content was published on Sep 12, 2003 The two countries are already important trading partners, with Switzerland currently importing most of its oil from the North African country. The head of the Swiss-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Elias Attia, believes Switzerland’s good relations with Libya will leave it well placed to win contracts. “I think Switzerland will have a good chance after the…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland votes

This content was published on Sep 12, 2003 The key issues during the election campaign, and those likely to dominate the next parliament, are the economy, pensions and health. Since taking over the interior ministry in January, Pascal Couchepin of the Radical Party has broken taboos over healthcare and pensions – his most radical suggestion has been to raise the retirement age to…

Radicals lag behind in the opinion polls

This content was published on Sep 12, 2003 But the centre-right party is lagging in the opinion polls and has an image problem with the electorate. Political analyst, Andreas Ladner, says the Radicals have had difficulty recovering from a bad start at the beginning of the year. They were forced to elect a new president, after the previous party boss became embroiled in…

Swiss Politics

Centre-left stays with social justice

This content was published on Sep 12, 2003 It is aiming for some 25 per cent of the vote in October’s elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, to bolster its position in parliament. Hans-Jürg Fehr, a member of the House of Representatives and a party vice-president, says solidarity and social justice are two key values for the centre-left Social Democrats. “Take…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland renews its parliament

This content was published on Sep 12, 2003 The elections – which take place on October 19 – are the most important event in the Swiss political calendar. Voters will go to the polls to elect an entirely new House of Representatives and the majority of the Senate. Unlike the United States or France, Switzerland has no presidential election, since the members of…

Swiss Politics

Rightwing demands constituency for Swiss abroad

This content was published on Sep 11, 2003 But the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) says establishing a “virtual canton” would not provide expatriates with better parliamentary representation. The suggestion was one of many discussed at this year’s OSA congress held in the alpine resort of Crans Montana. Under the current system, the Swiss abroad who want to vote may do so…

Swiss Politics

Zurich immigrants launch parliamentary bid

This content was published on Sep 11, 2003 Representing second-generation Swiss in particular, the “Second@s Plus” organisation is putting forward a list of parliamentary candidates, entirely composed of immigrants. In order to stand for election to parliament, all 33 people on the Second@s Plus list have to be Swiss nationals. However, none of them were born Swiss. With roots in China, Turkey, Somalia…

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swissinfo launches election website

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Rightwing looks west

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Switzerland votes

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Switzerland set to expand trade with Libya

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Switzerland votes

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Radicals lag behind in the opinion polls

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Centre-left stays with social justice

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Switzerland renews its parliament

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Rightwing demands constituency for Swiss abroad

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Zurich immigrants launch parliamentary bid

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