Swiss Politics Archives - Page 963 of 1339

More

Swiss Politics

Storm causes injuries and thwarts pilots

This content was published on Feb 10, 2009 Storm “Quinten” produced the strongest winds in the Bernese Oberland, where gusts of 174km/h raked the Kleine Scheidegg on the Jungfrau mountain. French-speaking Switzerland was also badly affected with gales reaching 148km/h on the Moléson peak. Two six-year-old girls were injured in canton Fribourg when a tree fell on their kindergarten class during a walk…

More

Swiss Politics

Geneva gives boost to national e-voting scheme

This content was published on Feb 10, 2009 The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), representing about 700,000 Swiss expatriates, hopes that e-voting will be available to all Swiss – at home and abroad – by 2015 at the latest. With more than 70 per cent in favour, voters in Geneva decided on Sunday to formally enshrine electronic voting in the constitution –…

More

Swiss Politics

Living in the shadow of the concrete giant

This content was published on Feb 9, 2009 As sirens rang out across the country last week for the annual disaster alarm test, swissinfo visited Sion, in southwestern Switzerland, to find out about levels of emergency preparedness and the dangers of living downhill from the concrete giant. Perched at over 2,300 metres above sea level at the head of the steep Val d’Hérens…

More

Swiss Politics

Press give voters credit on EU labour vote

This content was published on Feb 9, 2009 Nearly 60 per cent of voters supported the continuation of the free movement of people treaty as well as extending it to the EU’s newest members, Romania and Bulgaria. “The people are more predictable when it comes to taking decisions on important business than sceptics of direct democracy give them credit,” said the Neue Zürcher…

More

Swiss Politics

No winner in Zurich mayoral election

This content was published on Feb 8, 2009 Neither of the two main candidates for mayor of the city of Zurich managed to win an overall majority in voting on Sunday. Radical politician Kathrin Martelli won 39, 408 votes – 1,288 more than Social Democrat Corine Mauch but fell short of the 40,906 needed to win outright. The two women now face a…

More

Swiss Politics

Zurich’s rich foreigners lose their tax perks

This content was published on Feb 8, 2009 On Sunday voters unexpectedly endorsed a proposal by centre-left political parties to abolish lump sum taxation. Nearly 53 per cent of voters came out in favour of scrapping tax perks – in the first ballot held on the issue. Proponents of lump sum tax argued Zurich stood to lose revenue to other cantons. Opponents took…

More

Swiss Politics

Geneva introduces e-voting

This content was published on Feb 8, 2009 With more than 70 per cent in favour, voters decided on Sunday to enshrine electronic voting in the constitution – making Geneva the first of Switzerland’s 26 cantons to do so. Government officials said the result showed the popular support for e-voting, which will be introduced in 2010. The cantonal government and parliament said e-voting…

More

Swiss Politics

Swiss decide on key labour accord with EU

This content was published on Feb 8, 2009 The ballot, which was forced by rightwing political parties, is considered crucial for relations with Switzerland’s main EU trading partners. First trends show supporters slighly ahead, but experts predict a close result. At stake is an agreement between Switzerland and 25 EU member states to grant mutual access to labour markets. At the same time…

More

Swiss Politics

Voters to give verdict on EU labour accord

This content was published on Feb 7, 2009 The ballot, which was forced by rightwing political parties, is considered crucial for relations with Switzerland’s main EU trading partners. Opinion polls predict a close result. At stake is an agreement between Switzerland and 25 EU member states to grant mutual access to labour markets. At the same time voters will decide on an extension…

More

Swiss Politics

Exploiting the animals we love to hate

This content was published on Feb 6, 2009 Its poster shows three huge black birds with curved beaks and a cruel glint in their eyes pecking away aggressively at a small Swiss map. “The ravens are aggressive, cunning and devious,” according to Pirmin Schwander, head of the People’s Party campaign committee when he presented the campaign to the media. Not a bit of…

Swiss Politics

Popular Stories

Most Discussed