Swiss Abroad

Swiss test online ballot in nationwide vote

This content was published on Sep 26, 2004 Citizens in four communities in canton Geneva were given the option of voting online in a federal ballot, and nearly 22 per cent took up the opportunity. Of the 22,000 voters in Anières, Cologny, Carouge and Meyrin, 2,723 chose to cast their votes online in four ballots on easing citizenship, introducing statutory maternity benefits nationwide,…

Swiss Politics

People’s Party pushes the right buttons

This content was published on Sep 26, 2004 In an interview with swissinfo, Clive Church, a leading foreign expert on Swiss politics, explains why the party is setting the agenda once again. Opinion polls had predicted that the People’s Party would fail in its bid to maintain tight restrictions on citizenship. After making big gains in last year’s parliamentary elections and claiming a…

Swiss Politics

Analysts fear vote outcome will dent Swiss image

This content was published on Sep 26, 2004 They fear that the double no vote will reinforce the view of Switzerland as a conservative nation leaning ever further to the right. On Sunday, a majority of voters and cantons turned down two proposals which would have made it easier for young foreigners – many of them born and raised in Switzerland – to…

Swiss Politics

Swiss keep citizenship barriers in place

This content was published on Sep 26, 2004 Another vote on slowing down Post Office reform was also thrown out, but a ballot on introducing statutory maternity benefits looked likely to pass. Final results showed that plans to ease citizenship rules had failed to secure a majority of the cantons – a necessary hurdle for any vote to change the constitution. French-speaking cantons…

Swiss Politics

Swiss keep citizenship out of easy reach

This content was published on Sep 26, 2004 But they did approve statutory maternity benefits for working women. Another ballot, on slowing reforms to the state-owned Post Office, failed to pass. Working women were the only winners in Sunday’s votes. The Swiss finally decided to introduce statutory maternity benefits after throwing out similar proposals on three occasions in the past. But voters sided…

Swiss Politics

Rightwing People’s Party slammed by rivals

This content was published on Sep 24, 2004 In full-page advertisements in Swiss newspapers, they denounced the party’s descent into gutter politics. Political observers say the move marks a further erosion of Switzerland’s long-standing tradition of consensus politics. Swiss politics has been in transition for several years, following the rise of the People’s Party. The shift to the right in last year’s parliamentary…

Swiss Politics

Voters decide on citizenship and maternity benefit

This content was published on Sep 23, 2004 The proposals, which are opposed by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, would bring Switzerland in line with other western European countries. The government, parliament and three of the four main political parties want to make it easier for young foreigners to become Swiss citizens. The proposal envisages speeding up the naturalisation procedure for people aged…

Swiss Politics

Swiss abroad get a voice in parliament

This content was published on Sep 22, 2004 Some 83 politicians from all the main parties formed the group to ensure that the 600,000-strong Swiss abroad community is given a voice in parliament. The Swiss have long been accustomed to forming groups across party lines to represent their interests in parliament. Farmers, for example, constitute a major lobby, and benefit from some of…

Swiss Politics

Quotas could help businesswomen to the top

This content was published on Sep 22, 2004 This week parliament is to vote on an initiative calling for minimum quotas for women on the management boards of companies part-owned by the government. The initiative was proposed by Social Democrat parliamentarian Barbara Haering, who wants to see quotas enshrined in company law. “In the case of a firm in which the Swiss government…

Swiss Politics

Deiss calls for reform of UN Security Council

This content was published on Sep 21, 2004 Deiss said the Iraq crisis had shown that the structures currently in place at the world body were “no longer appropriate” and it was time to act. He was speaking at the General Assembly in New York following an address by United States President George W. Bush. Deiss told journalists he was disappointed by Bush’s…

Swiss Abroad

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Swiss Abroad

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Swiss test online ballot in nationwide vote

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People’s Party pushes the right buttons

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Analysts fear vote outcome will dent Swiss image

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Swiss keep citizenship barriers in place

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Swiss keep citizenship out of easy reach

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Rightwing People’s Party slammed by rivals

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Voters decide on citizenship and maternity benefit

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Swiss abroad get a voice in parliament

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Quotas could help businesswomen to the top

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Deiss calls for reform of UN Security Council

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