Swiss Abroad

Blocher win threatens to split the government

This content was published on Dec 11, 2003 swissinfo asked political analyst Oscar Mazzoleni what effect the hardliner’s presence would have on an already divided cabinet. Blocher unseated the Christian Democrat, Ruth Metzler, in Wednesday’s cabinet election, altering the balance of power among the four main political parties for the first time in more than 40 years. The People’s Party had demanded a…

Swiss Politics

Press speaks of a conservative revolution

This content was published on Dec 11, 2003 Political motivations dominated the election, some papers pointed out, at the expense of the usual preoccupation with regional and gender representation. Blocher’s election came as little surprise, but some papers feared consensus politics was under threat. “The will of the people has been realised in one important respect – the People’s Party as the strongest…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland braced for Blocher shockwave

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 The rightwing Swiss People’s Party was rewarded for its success in October’s parliamentary election with a second cabinet seat. Blocher, the outspoken leader of the party’s Zurich branch, replaces the Christian Democrat minister, Ruth Metzler. Blocher is known for his opposition to the EU and his hardline attitude on asylum. His presence in the cabinet,…

Swiss Politics

Blocher victory overturns old order

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 Blocher replaces the Christian Democrat justice minister, Ruth Metzler, shifting the balance of power for the first time in 44 years. Hans-Rudolf Merz of the centre-right Radicals was elected to replace Kaspar Villiger, who is retiring as finance minister. Blocher’s success changes an informal power-sharing arrangement among the four main political parties – known as…

Swiss Politics

Information Summit kicks off in Geneva

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 The three-day United Nations gathering officially got underway on Wednesday in Geneva. Pascal Couchepin, president of the event’s host country, opened the summit at a ceremony involving thousands of delegates. “I’m overjoyed to welcome you to Switzerland for this summit,” Couchepin told the crowd. “We are proud to host this summit, which, for the first…

Swiss Politics

Deiss elected president

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 Deiss received 174 votes in the election for the rotating post of president, while Schmid won 143 votes in his ballot.The justice minister, Ruth Metzler, was due to become president, but she was not re-elected by parliament.

Swiss government enters new era

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 By a narrow majority of five parliamentary votes, Blocher unseated the Christian Democrat justice minister, Ruth Metzler. Hans-Rudolf Merz of the centre-right Radicals was elected to replace Kaspar Villiger, who is retiring as finance minister. Blocher’s election brings an end to a power-sharing arrangement – known as the Magic Formula – which has been in…

Swiss Politics

New cabinet sworn in

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 The cabinet is also made up of two representatives of the centre-right Radical Party, the centre-left Social Democrats and one member of the centre-right Christian Democrats. But only one woman remains in government after the Christian Democrat justice minister, Ruth Metzler, was unseated.

Blocher becomes one of them

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 Parliament nevertheless elected him on Wednesday. Whether they find him liberal and intelligent or crude and arrogant, the Swiss rarely seem to sit on the fence when it comes to Blocher. A member of parliament for almost 25 years, 63-year-old Blocher is used to dividing opinions over issues such as asylum seekers and Swiss membership…

Calmy-Rey overwhelmingly re-elected

This content was published on Dec 10, 2003 Calmy-Rey scored the second best result in the cabinet elections behind her colleague from the Social Democratic Party, Moritz Leuenberger.

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Blocher win threatens to split the government

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Press speaks of a conservative revolution

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Switzerland braced for Blocher shockwave

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Blocher victory overturns old order

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Information Summit kicks off in Geneva

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Deiss elected president

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Swiss government enters new era

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New cabinet sworn in

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Blocher becomes one of them

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Calmy-Rey overwhelmingly re-elected

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