Swiss Abroad

“Relations with Switzerland are excellent”

This content was published on Jun 6, 2008 The former Portuguese Prime Minister, who has been in his post at the EC since November 2004, begins his first official trip to Switzerland on Friday. He is due to meet five cabinet ministers, including this year’s president, Pascal Couchepin, to discuss bilateral relations between the 27-nation bloc and Switzerland. The row over corporate tax…

Swiss Politics

Swiss papers reserved about Obama’s chances

This content was published on Jun 5, 2008 But while some newspapers focus on the black senator’s skin colour, others insist race will not be the deciding factor in November’s vote, and say there are still a lot of question marks about Obama. Some of the French-language papers have high hopes that Obama’s candidature can lead to reconciliation between the races. The Tribune…

Swiss Politics

Consensus system intact despite party squabble

This content was published on Jun 4, 2008 But Zurich University political scientist Michael Hermann tells swissinfo that Switzerland is unlikely to abolish its consensus system in the seven-member cabinet. The People’s Party has been subject to internal tensions between hardliners and liberal members for several years. The situation took a turn for the worse after the controversial cabinet minister and People’s Party…

Swiss Politics

People’s Party row looks set to escalate

This content was published on Jun 2, 2008 Liberal members of the Bern cantonal chapter have announced they are planning to set up their own party to protest against the hardline policy of the national leadership. The opponents include Defence Minister Samuel Schmid – who has been sitting in the cabinet for more than seven years. Party officials said Schmid’s announcement that he…

Swiss Politics

Anti-corruption policy demanded

This content was published on Jun 2, 2008 The Group of States Against Corruption published its first evaluation report on Switzerland on Monday, made public with the agreement of the federal authorities. The report praised Swiss efforts since 2000 to prevent, detect and punish corruption. However it said that more needed to be done in connection, for example, with public procurement and tendering,…

Swiss Politics

Vote was major blow for People’s Party

This content was published on Jun 2, 2008 Most editorialists agreed that the self-designated opposition party had come undone after voters rejected three proposals it had backed, including reintroducing the ballot box for naturalisation procedures. For Zurich’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung, voters gave the People’s Party a lesson it shouldn’t forget. “It’s not the fact that they lost that should make them think, but…

Swiss Politics

Citizenship vote outcome stirs mixed emotions

This content was published on Jun 1, 2008 Commentators have pointed to a lack of a clear message as one reason behind Sunday’s “no” vote. Party internal squabbles may also have played a role – a charge which the leadership denies. With 63.6 per cent saying no, Swiss voters clearly rejected the People’s Party initiative that also aimed to stop the right of…

Swiss Politics

People’s Party bans chapter in ministerial row

This content was published on Jun 1, 2008 The decision is subject to an appeal but delegates look set to confirm the ban of the Graubünden cantonal section at the beginning of next month. An overwhelming majority of the party leadership approved a proposal to punish the Graubünden chapter for supporting Widmer-Schlumpf, according to senior party officials. Widmer-Schlumpf criticised the decision as collective…

Swiss Politics

People’s Party defeated in citizenship vote

This content was published on Jun 1, 2008 The electorate also turned down plans for health reform and proposed restrictions on the government’s information policy. More than 63 per cent of voters and all but one of the country’s 26 cantons on Sunday came out against the initiative, which also wanted to deny the right of appeal to those whose citizenship requests had…

Swiss Politics

Rightwing citizenship plan defeated

This content was published on Jun 1, 2008 Results show that the plan, by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, has not mustered the necessary majority of the cantons. Two other issues – the latest reform of health system and plans to limit the information policy of the federal authorities – are also heading for rejection in Sunday’s vote, according to the gfs.berne polling…

Swiss Abroad

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