Swiss Politics

Swiss have voted on cementing EU ties

This content was published on Sep 24, 2005 Latest opinion polls predicted a close race between the “yes” and “no” camps in the second ballot this year on relations with Brussels. Supporters say extension of the treaty will lead to economic growth, while opponents argue it would open the doors to a flood of immigrants. Bern and Brussels concluded a first set of…

Swiss Politics

Brussels awaits outcome of Swiss labour vote

This content was published on Sep 24, 2005 Sunday’s ballot on extending the Swiss labour market to the new European Union members is crucial for bilateral relations between Bern and Brussels. The vote in Switzerland has not really been a topic of conversation in the corridors of power in Brussels. Unlike the referendums on the EU constitution only experts on Switzerland, such as…

Swiss Politics

Zurich rules out signing surgery convention

This content was published on Sep 22, 2005 The Zurich government indicated on Thursday that it would not back down from its demand to concentrate surgery such as transplant operations in Zurich and Geneva. Zurich’s health director, Verena Diener, said the “network strategy” preferred by several cantons would weaken research and was bad for the economy. “If top-level surgery is carried out in…

Swiss Politics

Senate rejects uniform child benefit

This content was published on Sep 21, 2005 The speaker of the Senate was called on to cast the deciding vote on a long-standing proposal, which now goes back to the House of Representatives for further debate. All 26 Swiss cantons pay out child benefit, but the sum differs widely from canton to canton. Parents in canton Aargau receive SFr150 per child per…

Swiss Politics

Geneva and UN need to get closer

This content was published on Sep 20, 2005 Since the creation of the United Nations 60 years ago, Switzerland has benefited from the presence of the organisation’s European headquarters in the city. The UN’s 60th General Assembly is currently underway at its headquarters in downtown New York. In Geneva, which hosts the UN’s specialist and operational agencies, celebrations are seeking to bring the…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey calls for human rights council

This content was published on Sep 20, 2005 She also announced that Switzerland intends to present a draft resolution to the plenary assembly in New York on ways to reform the Security Council. “The UN is of great importance for Swiss foreign policy,” Calmy-Rey told swissinfo, adding that a lot rests on increasing the organisation’s credibility. Calmy-Rey said that in the three years…

Swiss Politics

Swiss business fears German power vacuum

This content was published on Sep 19, 2005 They also warn of the consequences for the Swiss economy if the next German government does not pick up the pace of reform. Both Gerhard Schröder of the ruling Social Democratic Party and opposition candidate Angela Merkel from the Christian Democratic Union have claimed victory in the polls. But neither politician has won enough seats…

Swiss Politics

No real winner in German election

This content was published on Sep 19, 2005 They said it would be the small parties who will play the kingmakers, and were in agreement that the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader, Angela Merkel, was the main loser. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) called the outcome the “worst election for Germany”. The Zurich newspaper said that while Gerhard Schröder’s Social Democratic Party (SPD)…

Swiss Politics

Social Democrats tackle future challenges

This content was published on Sep 17, 2005 At a conference on Saturday, Switzerland’s second largest party also launched a referendum against tightening asylum legislation, due to be discussed by parliament in the autumn. Hans-Jürg Fehr, the party president, stressed that the proposed amendments relegated Switzerland’s humanitarian tradition to the scrapheap. The Swiss are due to decide in November whether to amend labour…

Swiss Politics

Corridors of power analyse federalism

This content was published on Sep 17, 2005 Justice Minister Christoph Blocher was among the 300 participants at the meeting, where all concurred that federalism had to be put under a spotlight but not all agreed on the methods. There were a number of issues tackled during the two-day event including the limitations of the Swiss model of power-sharing and looking to the…

Swiss Politics

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Swiss Politics

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Swiss have voted on cementing EU ties

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Brussels awaits outcome of Swiss labour vote

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Zurich rules out signing surgery convention

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Senate rejects uniform child benefit

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Geneva and UN need to get closer

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Calmy-Rey calls for human rights council

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Swiss business fears German power vacuum

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No real winner in German election

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Social Democrats tackle future challenges

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Corridors of power analyse federalism

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