Swiss Politics

Former Swiss ambassador sings Annan’s praises

This content was published on Oct 9, 2006 Jenö Staehelin, the first-ever Swiss ambassador to the UN, told swissinfo ahead of the announcement why Kofi Annan has been such an influential figure for Switzerland. swissinfo: What is your assessment of the ten years of the UN with Kofi Annan at the helm? Jenö Staehelin: The first five years were very positive. They ended…

Swiss Politics

Swiss embassy in Tehran beefs up security

This content was published on Oct 8, 2006 The statement followed a report by the Südostschweiz am Sonntag newspaper, which alleged that there were “definite threats” against the Swiss delegation in Iran. “Security measures have been stepped up over the past few weeks at the embassy,” foreign ministry spokesman Jean-Philippe Jeannerat confirmed on Sunday. Jeannerat added that since the Lebanon crisis in July…

Swiss Politics

Greens make progress towards elections of 2007

This content was published on Oct 6, 2006 The election barometer 2007, which has just given first indications of next year’s parliamentary elections, says that if voters had their say now, the Greens would make clear gains and the centre-right Radicals would be the losers. The rightwing Swiss People’s Party, the centre-left Social Democrats and the centre-right Christian Democrats would maintain their positions.…

Swiss Politics

Parliament backs funds for much-needed crèches

This content was published on Oct 3, 2006 After several months of ping-pong, the House of Representatives agreed on Monday to follow the Senate by approving a SFr120 million ($96.5 million) credit for the creation of nursery places over the next four years. Young families in Switzerland face a major lack of crèches. It is estimated that 50,000 places are needed to meet…

Swiss Politics

Weapons ban wins support among young Swiss

This content was published on Oct 2, 2006 The demand was one in a series of petitions approved by the 15th Youth Session held in the mountain resort of Laax in southeastern Switzerland on behalf of the federal parliament. The petition, which won a majority of the 180 representatives in Monday’s plenary session, wants to outlaw firearms, including army weapons, in private homes.…

Swiss Politics

New army structure comes under fire

This content was published on Oct 1, 2006 Opponents, mainly from the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, have criticised the reorganisation as hasty, unreasonable and even unconstitutional. The defence ministry has also come under fire from the three other main political parties, including the centre-left Social Democrats. The debate in the House of Representatives during the final week of parliament’s autumn session comes three…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Swiss Politics

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