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Swiss Politics

Blocher would be unhappy in government, says Couchepin

This content was published on Oct 22, 2000 In an interview with the “Sonntagszeitung”, Couchepin said Blocher had a different opinion to the government on a range of issues, and would not enjoy having to stand by government policy. Couchepin’s comments follow the announcement by the president and People’s Party minister, Adolf Ogi, that he plans to step down in December. No candidate…

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Radicals and Christian Democrats reject initiative to cut military spending

This content was published on Oct 21, 2000 The two parties met to outline their positions on the referenda due to be held on November 26. The Radical Party voted unanimously against the people’s initiative to slash military spending by 50 per cent. Earlier, the economics minister and party delegate, Pascal Couchepin, had urged the Radical Party to reject the initiative, saying it…

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People’s Party president wants a single candidate to succeed Ogi

This content was published on Oct 21, 2000 In an interview with the “Neue Luzerner Zeitung”, Maurer said that only one person from the party should be nominated to fill the vacant seat in the cabinet. After Ogi announced he was stepping down after 13 years in government, several politicians called for the People’s Party to put forward two candidates. At present, the…

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Swiss pro-European group stands by EU membership referendum

This content was published on Oct 21, 2000 The “Yes to Europe” people’s initiative calls on the government to push forward negotiations with European leaders. The initiative also calls for the creation of conditions that would permit the Swiss people to vote on adhesion in 2006. In 1996, NOMES collected enough signatures to force a popular vote. But no date has yet been…

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Swiss Politics

The week in Switzerland

This content was published on Oct 21, 2000 Rescue officials worked continuously throughout the week in the hope of finding survivors from the mountain village of Gondo in canton Valais. A total of 13 people died after a mudslide flattened part of Gondo a week ago. Hopes were briefly raised on Monday when a woman’s voice was heard faintly underneath the rubble, but…

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Swiss Politics

Ogi doesn’t want to play role of elder statesman or sportsman

This content was published on Oct 21, 2000 Less than three days after he announced his resignation, Ogi told the Swiss newspaper, “Der Bund,” on Saturday that his duties as president prevented him from taking over for the outgoing head of the Swiss Olympic Association, René Burkhalter. Ogi explained that in practical terms, the job was out of the question. “I can’t really…

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Swiss Politics

Ogi tipped as leading contender for Olympic Association

This content was published on Oct 20, 2000 Less than two days after Ogi announced his resignation, the outgoing president of the Swiss Olympic Association, René Burkhalter, said he hoped the Swiss president would succeed him. Burkhalter, who has headed the association for 16 years, is also due to step down at the end of the year. He said that if Ogi took…

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Swiss Politics

Ogi succession unlikely to threaten government stability

This content was published on Oct 19, 2000 Most political leaders, as well as Swiss newspapers, ruled out a threat to Switzerland’s 41-year-old “magic formula” system of government, under which the four main parties divide up the seven cabinet posts. Ogi, who announced on Wednesday that he would step down at the end of the year, is the sole representative of the right-wing…

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Swiss Politics

Deiss praises OSCE

This content was published on Oct 19, 2000 Speaking in Zurich on Thursday, Deiss said the OSCE still had a role to play in the post-Cold War world whether supervising elections in Bosnia, preventing conflict in Macedonia or mediating to end the first Chechen war. Above all, Deiss stressed that the OSCE plays an important role in Swiss foreign politics. It was, he…

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Swiss Politics

Search begins for successor to Ogi

This content was published on Oct 18, 2000 Few political events highlight the intricacies of Switzerland’s political system as much as the resignation of Ogi, considered a liberal within the ranks of his Swiss People’s Party. An unwritten law agreed by the main political parties before the Second World War and amended in 1959 stipulates that the largest four parties are represented in…

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