Swiss Politics

Zurich voters take results in their stride

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 This was despite a significant shift in the electoral landscape which saw major parties such as the rightwing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the Radicals and the Greens in particular lose significant support to new centre parties, the Liberal Greens and the Conservative Democrats. The general surprise expressed by most political commentators at the results –…

Swiss Politics

Migrant work schemes flourish

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 The unusual treasure trove was dredged up by a team of asylum seekers working on a long-term clean-up scheme in Lausanne. This year has seen a growth in similar public work programmes for migrants across canton Vaud. “Earlier we found a handbag with some jewels that they handed over to the police and last week…

Swiss Politics

Fragmented centre holds sway over right and left

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 The rightwing Swiss People’s Party and the centre-left Greens suffered the biggest losses in the House of Representatives compared with the 2007 vote. The two main centre-right parties also saw their support slip, while the centre-left Social Democrats registered a slight gain. Near-final results show the People’s Party dropping 3.6 percentage points to 25.3 per…

Swiss Politics

Major parties get a slap in the face

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 Political scientist Georg Lutz tells swissinfo.ch that the major parties have been made to pay for pushing their own agendas in the voting campaign. The People’s Party, for example, ran a huge poster campaign against the “mass immigration of foreigners”. On the other hand, the Liberal Greens, a business-friendly green party increased its representation by…

Swiss Politics

US and North Korea start talks in Geneva

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 It is the second such encounter since six-party talks on disarmament collapsed more than two years ago. The session, which follows talks in New York in late July, is aimed more at managing tensions on the divided Korean peninsula than resuming regional talks on ending the North’s nuclear programmes. “Talks have started. They are…

Swiss Politics

Media ponders election fallout for cabinet

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011 A less powerful rightwing Swiss People’s Party – which suffered a big loss – might actually make it more eligible for a second seat in government, some commentators argue. Meanwhile, the success of the new parties has strengthened the centre. The People’s Party and the centre-left Greens suffered the biggest losses in the House of…

Swiss Politics

Why has the rightwing lost support in Switzerland?

This content was published on Oct 24, 2011

Swiss Politics

Everything in moderation

This content was published on Oct 23, 2011 Shifts of a few percentage points translate into slight gains or losses of seats in parliament, but rarely do these musical chairs reach double figures. Such is the case today. The latest provisional figures, released at 9pm, show that the biggest loser, in percentage points, is the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, which dropped from 28.9%…

Ladies, ladies

This content was published on Oct 23, 2011 Soon after entering parliament, Hämmerle received an invitation from a women’s parliamentary group welcoming the fact that Graubünden now also had a woman politician. Andrea Hämmerle is male. Despite that slight blip, the situation for women in the Swiss parliament is going in the right direction (although considering women only got the vote in 1971,…

Federer for president!

This content was published on Oct 23, 2011 A Facebook site was started by a young voter who wanted to “put an end to the ‘old people’s home’ parliament”. “Don’t vote for an official candidate – write ‘Roger Federer, Wollerau, tennis player’ on your ballot paper,” he urged, citing Federer’s “sporting ability, team spirit, humour and modesty” as ideal qualities in a candidate.…

Swiss Politics

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Sign in and personalize Swissinfo

Swiss Politics

More

Zurich voters take results in their stride

More

Migrant work schemes flourish

More

Fragmented centre holds sway over right and left

More

Major parties get a slap in the face

More

US and North Korea start talks in Geneva

More

Media ponders election fallout for cabinet

More

Why has the rightwing lost support in Switzerland?

More

Everything in moderation

More

Ladies, ladies

More

Federer for president!

Popular Stories

Most Discussed