Swiss Abroad

Switzerland and Romania talk cooperation

This content was published on Dec 4, 2007 Speaking after meeting her Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu on Tuesday, Calmy-Rey said voters could have the final say on the agreement if the accord was contested. Romania, which joined the European Union at the beginning of the year alongside Bulgaria, is Switzerland’s main trading partner in southeastern Europe. Non-EU member Switzerland has gradually opened its…

Swiss Politics

Swiss receive good report in school survey

This content was published on Dec 4, 2007 However, a senior education official downplayed the relevance of the study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Isabelle Chassot, who heads the Conference of Cantonal Education Directors, warned in Bern on Tuesday that even though pupils were asked the same set of questions in 57 countries, the study should not be seen…

Swiss Politics

Parliament elects new speakers

This content was published on Dec 3, 2007 The House of Representatives elected André Bugnon, a member of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, to head the 200-member chamber. Christoffel Brändli, also from the People’s Party, is in charge of conducting the sessions of the 46-member Senate. Both of them look back over long careers as parliamentarians on a federal and local level and…

Swiss Politics

Russian elections “a defeat for democracy”

This content was published on Dec 3, 2007 President Vladimir Putin’s party collected nearly two-thirds of the votes for the new legislature, a victory that should enable him to remain the country’s de facto leader should he leave office as planned next year. After 98 per cent of the votes were counted, Putin’s United Russia was guaranteed 300 of the State Duma’s 450…

Swiss Politics

Young Green bares all for his political cause

This content was published on Dec 3, 2007 The Green Party member says he will fight for a more just society and non-violence as well as placing environmental issue high on his agenda. But he says he has no plans to surprise the new parliament with any stunts during the first three-week session, which opens on Monday. He made the headlines by launching…

Swiss Politics

“I’m not the Rasputin of foreign affairs”

This content was published on Dec 2, 2007 The Swiss president’s chief of staff and key foreign policy advisor is leaving the administration for a job in the banking industry. Balzaretti, 42, hopes to use his diplomatic qualities in his new post, which he describes as a “great opportunity to enrich my professional knowledge”. swissinfo: What attracted you to the world of diplomacy…

Swiss Politics

Putin’s party set for Russian election win

This content was published on Dec 1, 2007 Despite widely reported political repression taking place in Moscow and elsewhere, Switzerland has chosen to pursue the development of its relationship with Russia. “The result is in no doubt,” said Thérèse Obrecht, a former Swiss television correspondent in the Russian capital. “These elections are turning into a plebiscite for Putin.” Opposition parties have been harassed…

Swiss Politics

Swiss eager to kick off Euro 2008

This content was published on Nov 30, 2007 Nine out of ten of those polled consider the tournament, which is being co-hosted with Austria, the most important event of 2008. Most people are satisfied with preparations. The competition is now showing on the Swiss public’s radar. Two years ago only two-thirds of those polled had heard of Euro 2008, while that figure now…

Swiss Politics

Swiss People’s Party

This content was published on Nov 30, 2007 Until the 1990s, the People’s Party was the smallest of the parties represented in cabinet, with only 11 per cent of the vote. During the 1990s the party increased its share of the vote to become the most popular party, attracting 22.5 per cent at the 1999 elections. In 2003 its percentage of the vote…

Social Democratic Party

This content was published on Nov 30, 2007 After the strike the party took a softer line and in 1943 it became the strongest party in parliament, finally gaining a seat in the cabinet. A second seat followed in 1959. In the 1980s the centre-left Social Democrats fell out of favour, but recovered to be the strongest party at the 1995 elections. Since…

Swiss Abroad

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Swiss Abroad

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Switzerland and Romania talk cooperation

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Swiss receive good report in school survey

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Parliament elects new speakers

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Russian elections “a defeat for democracy”

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Young Green bares all for his political cause

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“I’m not the Rasputin of foreign affairs”

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Putin’s party set for Russian election win

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Swiss eager to kick off Euro 2008

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Swiss People’s Party

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Social Democratic Party

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