At a delegates’ assembly in the town of Olten, northwest Switzerland, the left-wing Greens promised to mobilize for the climate, biodiversity and a more equal society. They also had something to say about the UBS takeover of troubled Credit Suisse bank under a government-backed deal. Party president Balthasar Glättli said that if the state is making billions available in guarantees, it should make respecting climate goals a condition. “If the climate was a big bank, the government would already have saved it,” he told delegates.
The Greens hope to repeat their success in the last federal elections in 2019, when they made big inroads. The Green Party won 13% of the vote for the House of Representatives – up nearly 6% on 2015 and their best result ever. The centrist Liberal Greens also increased their share of the vote to 7.9% from 4.6%.
The Liberal Green party, whose delegates met on Saturday in the northern town of Rheinfelden, also launched its election campaign under the slogan “having the courage to find solutions”. Its president Jürg Grossen appealed for long-term policies that build cross-party consensus to tackle numerous challenges such as climate change, the Ukraine war, the energy crisis and the collapse of Credit Suisse.
The Liberal Greens also called for a responsible economy. They joined the Social Democrat and Green parties in calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the UBS takeover of Credit Suisse.
Swiss justice minister hopes EU reform will reduce irregular migration
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The European Union’s (EU) New Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to curb irregular migration within Schengen, Justice Minister Beat Jans said on Tuesday.
Swiss electricity supply outlook positive despite uncertainties
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Thanks to well-filled gas stores in Europe and increased availability of French nuclear power, the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission is optimistic.
Finance minister wants Swiss banks to hold more equity
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Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has repeated calls for banks and their holdings in subsidiaries abroad to hold more equity.
Telecoms sector kept Swiss competitions regulator busy in 2023
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Last year, the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) conducted 27 investigations and initiated 17 preliminary investigations.
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Although Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) achieved higher revenue at the start of the year, it suffered a dip in profits.
40,000 signatures against animal testing in Switzerland
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Switzerland should do away with “restrictive” animal testing and should become a model for innovative, effective, and pain-free scientific research.
More than 45,000 signatures in favour of federal funding for UNRWA
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The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives (FAC) is expected to decide on the funding of the UNRWA at the beginning of the week.
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At the end of January 2024, 6,881 men and women were behind bars in Switzerland. Almost 95% of all places were occupied, the highest number since 2014.
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Poll: the ‘Green wave’ subsides in Switzerland
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Environmentalist parties – the big winners in the 2019 national elections – appear to be losing ground ahead of the upcoming elections in October.
Green Party decides against targeting cabinet seat
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The Green Party says it won’t make a move for the seat in Switzerland’s seven-person cabinet being made vacant by Finance Minister Ueli Maurer.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.