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Swiss Politics

New dawn for Swiss-EU relations

This content was published on May 19, 2004 The European Commission president, Romano Prodi, hailed the agreement as a boost to Swiss-EU relations. “The Union embraces Switzerland,” he said. “This marks the start of a new stage in our relationship.” He added that the treaties would bring considerable advantages to people in both Switzerland and EU member states. The Swiss president, Joseph Deiss,…

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Big day for Swiss government in Brussels

This content was published on May 19, 2004 The two sides signed an agreement on the nine dossiers after lengthy wrangling, but uncertainties remain over the Schengen accord on cross-border crime and an EU savings tax directive. A top Swiss delegation met the European Commission president, Romano Prodi, and other senior EU representatives to wrap up the accords. Switzerland was represented by President…

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Swiss Politics

Bilaterals still face uphill battle

This content was published on May 18, 2004 Opponents are threatening to call a nationwide vote, which would jeopardise Switzerland’s ability to meet an EU deadline on tax evasion. The rightwing Swiss People’s Party is opposed to plans for security cooperation with Brussels. Last week’s agreement on the nine bilateral accords by EU diplomats has prompted calls in Switzerland for voters to decide…

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Swiss Politics

Switzerland inches closer to EU

This content was published on May 17, 2004 The Swiss president, Joseph Deiss, the foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, and the finance minister, Hans-Rudolf Merz, will attend the meeting. The announcement comes after EU foreign ministers officially approved the accords at a meeting on Monday. Three of the nine accords negotiated between Switzerland and the EU deal with closer cooperation on security and asylum,…

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Swiss Politics

Press warns of crisis in public confidence

This content was published on May 17, 2004 Voters on Sunday threw out all three proposals put forward by the government and parliament, including tax breaks, cuts to the state pension and a hike in VAT. The press on Monday said the result was a clear rejection of the centre-right ideology and policies of the political establishment. Most papers said the outcome showed…

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Swiss Politics

Centre-left recaptures lost political ground

This content was published on May 16, 2004 The Social Democrats and trade unions welcomed the overwhelming rejection of parliament’s plans to cut old-age pension benefits and introduce a package of tax cuts. Sunday’s ballot-box verdict comes one year after the Social Democrats lost several major nationwide votes. But Emanuel von Erlach, a political scientist at Bern University, says the rejection of this…

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Swiss Politics

Government handed triple defeat by voters

This content was published on May 16, 2004 The outcome is a blow to the government and parliament, which put forward all three proposals. It is the second time this year that Switzerland’s political establishment has suffered a triple defeat at the ballot box. None of the votes in February on transport, rent and justice issues went the government’s way. Final results on…

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Swiss Politics

Voters hit government with triple whammy

This content was published on May 16, 2004 The outcome is a heavy blow for the government and parliament, which put forward all three proposals. The increase in VAT was rejected by 68.6 per cent of voters, the tax breaks by 65.9 per cent and pension reforms by 67.9 per cent. Turnout was 50.1 per cent. It is the second time in six…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss vote on tax and pensions

This content was published on May 16, 2004 The first projections – based on exit polls conducted by the GfS research institute – are expected at 1pm. The campaign ahead of Sunday’s nationwide votes has been dubbed a key political battle between Switzerland’s centre-right parties and the Centre-left. During their campaigns both sides described the polls as a vote of confidence in the…

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Swiss Politics

Army rifles remain racked at home

This content was published on May 15, 2004 Despite the use of an army-issue rifle in a massacre in a local Swiss parliament in 2001, the defence ministry says it will maintain the practice. “Everybody who has served in the army is allowed to keep their personal weapon, even after the end of their military service,” the defence ministry said in a statement.…

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