Swiss Politics

Fears increase amid clashes in Myanmar

This content was published on Sep 25, 2007 Thousands of Buddhist monks and civilians marched on Wednesday in the city of Yangon in defiance of the authorities’ new ban on assembly and crackdown on demonstrators. “We are closely watching developments in Myanmar,” said Swiss foreign ministry spokeswoman Carine Carey in the Swiss capital, Bern on Tuesday. “Switzerland urges the authorities in Myanmar to…

Swiss Politics

Governments urged to act on global warming

This content was published on Sep 25, 2007 The one-day meeting, a first for the UN, came ahead of global talks about the successor to the Kyoto Protocol. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon set the day’s theme in his opening address, declaring that “the time for doubt has passed” on the issue of global warming. Ban organised the summit on Monday to build momentum…

Swiss Politics

Young people strengthen political presence

This content was published on Sep 24, 2007 They include a demand to lower the voting age from 18 to 16, with two-thirds of the 14- to 21-year-olds at the annual meeting in Bern believing “political maturity does not depend on one’s age”. Other topics they want to be discussed in parliament include youth violence prevention, energy labels for household appliances, criminalising doping…

Swiss Politics

Foreign residents given their say

This content was published on Sep 23, 2007 The aim of the German-language site is to show that foreigners – who account for 20 per cent of the population – are responsible citizens and should be granted voting rights. Hans Verbeke, one of the founders of the website, www.auslaender.ch, said issues such as tax rates, pensions and relations with the European Union are…

Swiss Politics

Partial ban on cluster bombs draws fire

This content was published on Sep 20, 2007 On Wednesday the Senate followed the House of Representatives in adopting a ban on “unreliable” cluster munitions, which would allow the country to keep its arsenal largely intact. The initiative, which was passed unanimously by the Senate, calls for a ban on the production, stockpiling and use of cluster munitions that pose a serious humanitarian…

Swiss Politics

Swiss and Belgian federalism go different ways

This content was published on Sep 19, 2007 Although the country resembles Switzerland in terms of size and federal system, experts say it has dealt with multiculturalism differently. The Swiss favour consensus, the Belgians confrontation. “Two languages, two cultures, two economies and a growing ignorance of their neighbour’s real situation,” is how Jean Faniel, researcher at the Centre for Socio-Political Research and Information…

Swiss Politics

Swiss hold out hope for Nepalese peace process

This content was published on Sep 18, 2007 But while Günther Bächler, a Swiss adviser for peace building in Nepal, described the Maoists’ withdrawal on Tuesday as a crisis, he believed it was not “irresolvable”. “Dialogue has not yet been completely abandoned. I do not yet consider this the collapse of the peace process,” he said. Bächler has worked in Nepal as a…

Swiss Politics

Annan’s aid forum tackles natural disasters

This content was published on Sep 17, 2007 A critical part of the forum’s work would be to improve cooperation among various groups helping to relieve poverty, hunger and devastation from natural disasters around the world, Annan said in Geneva on Monday. The first task according to Annan, the forum’s president, is to look at ways of helping the communities around the world…

Swiss Politics

Minister calls for glass ceiling to be broken

This content was published on Sep 17, 2007 Leuthard said on Monday that women accounted for only four per cent of upper management in Switzerland and only one third of companies had a female boss. The minister made the comments in front of around 200 businesswomen at the “potentiELLE” conference in Horgen, near Zurich. Leuthard called for women to take a more active…

Swiss Politics

Storm brews before final parliamentary debate

This content was published on Sep 17, 2007 Tax breaks, army guns, citizenship and funding for research and education will most likely provide the ground for verbal exchanges between representatives of the five main parties. The speaker of the House of Representatives, Christine Egerszegi, is expected to open the three-week session with a warning, having made it clear that she would not tolerate…

Swiss Politics

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Fears increase amid clashes in Myanmar

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Governments urged to act on global warming

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Young people strengthen political presence

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Foreign residents given their say

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Partial ban on cluster bombs draws fire

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Swiss and Belgian federalism go different ways

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Swiss hold out hope for Nepalese peace process

More

Annan’s aid forum tackles natural disasters

More

Minister calls for glass ceiling to be broken

More

Storm brews before final parliamentary debate

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