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Swiss Politics

The cradle of international humanitarian law

This content was published on Oct 1, 2006 As depository of the Geneva Conventions, Switzerland partly owes its peaceful reputation to Henry Dunant, whose experiences of the Battle of Solferino would have a profound effect on his life. The Battle of Solferino was a violent confrontation between the Franco-Sardinian Alliance and the Austrian army for the independence of Italy that was fought on…

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Swiss Politics

Greens get public backing for cabinet seat

This content was published on Oct 1, 2006 The poll, published in three newspapers on Sunday, also revealed that Justice Minister Christoph Blocher and Interior Minister Pascal Couchepin are the least popular members of cabinet. More than half of those polled said that the centre-left Greens should be represented in the government if they improve their standing in parliament in 2007. Forty per…

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Swiss Politics

Bern outlines aid programme for Lebanon

This content was published on Sep 29, 2006 It launched an aid programme on Friday called “Back to the villages” which is the focal point of Swiss relief operations in the country. The head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit, Toni Frisch, said the project would enable people in the south of the country to return to their villages, some of which had…

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Swiss Politics

Leuenberger visit reinforces Romanian relations

This content was published on Sep 27, 2006 Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger said Brussels had not yet called on Switzerland to extend the Swiss-EU bilateral treaty on the free movement of people to the eastern states. Speaking in Bucharest during the first ever visit by a Swiss president to Romania, Leuenberger welcomed the eastern European state’s imminent EU membership. “The close cultural and…

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Swiss Politics

Cohesion Fund “benefits both sides”

This content was published on Sep 26, 2006 The central issue is the SFr1 billion ($800 million) Switzerland has pledged to the ten new EU member states. The government said this is a “good investment” that will benefit not only the new EU states but also Switzerland. The vote, which will take place on November 26, was forced by the rightwing Swiss People’s…

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Swiss Politics

“Switzerland has a xenophobic heritage”

This content was published on Sep 25, 2006 The honorary professor at Lausanne University also explains why he thinks Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition only applies if it serves the country’s interests. Around 68 per cent of voters endorsed tightened laws on asylum and immigration in Sunday’s vote, according to official results. All 26 cantons were also behind the measures, which were approved last year…

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Swiss Politics

Papers see asylum vote as clear victory for Blocher

This content was published on Sep 25, 2006 Most editorialists said the result was largely driven by voter anger with perceived abuses of the asylum system, and described the outcome as a slap in the face for the left. Zurich’s Tages-Anzeiger called the vote Christoph Blocher’s “biggest win” since he became justice minister, but added that proposals to tighten asylum legislation had always…

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Swiss Politics

Asylum abuse proved decisive for voters

This content was published on Sep 24, 2006 On Sunday around 68 per cent of voters backed new laws on immigration and asylum, which the government says are necessary to make Switzerland less attractive and to curb abuses. Helbling, who works at Zurich University’s institute of political sciences, told swissinfo that he was surprised by the size of the majority but said the…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss voters take hard line on asylum and immigration

This content was published on Sep 24, 2006 But an initiative to prop up the country’s ailing old-age pension scheme with profits from the National Bank failed to win a majority at the ballot box. Around 68 per cent of voters endorsed amended laws on asylum and immigration in Sunday’s vote, according to official results. All 26 cantons were also behind the measures,…

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Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey calls for inter-religious dialogue

This content was published on Sep 23, 2006 Calmy-Rey also spoke out in favour of a strengthening of dialogue between Christians and Muslims at the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday. And she proposed reforms to the Security Council. Emphasising the need for Switzerland to play a more active role within the UN, Calmy-Rey believes the Swiss approach may help to…

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