Proven timewaster. A resounding “Nein”
Взять онлайн займ на карту. The overwhelming vote on 30 November against even more limited immigration (Ecopop); an end to special tax rates for wealthy foreigners and minimal gold reserves enabled the Federal Council in Bern, which had opposed all three initiatives, to sigh with relief. What the government did not need were more obstacles undermining its bilateral accords with the European Union, Switzerland’s largest trading partner.
The majority of Swiss, it seems, have grasped that their country can simply not function without unrestricted access to foreign workers, including qualified managers, researchers and innovators. Furthermore, even if other European right-wing parties are pushing for immigration curbs, the tone of last February’s referendum restricting mass immigration did little for Switzerland’s image abroad. Not only did Brussels immediately rule out any renegotiation, but the Swiss themselves felt the impact, such as the termination of the prestigious Erasmus student exchange programme. (See article in this issue of Le News).
Do such popular initiatives really reflect a functioning democracy? Last month’s participation barely drew 48 percent, hardly a majority. Many Swiss complain that there are too many referenda, which are held every three months. They also consider them costly.
Often, the issues are too complicated or irrelevant to understand. Ideally, one would assume that responsible citizens will spend the time reading up before voting, but we all know this does not happen. During one recent cantonal referendum, the local electorate voted to have their council determine how many energy-producing windmills were needed rather than have ordinary people make such a technical decision.
The 9 February vote might be an issue too precarious for voters to decide. How many Swiss, particularly in the rural German-speaking parts, understood the implications of blocking EU citizens from working in this country? Did they realise that their economic well-being, one of the highest in the world, was primarily the result of such immigration? Or did they allow xenophobia regarding “die Anderen” (the “others”, meaning “outsiders”) to cloud their judgement?
Part of this was the failure of the Swiss media and government to inform people properly about the consequences. It was a different story leading up to the Ecopop initiative with constant debate both in the press and social media.
Encouraged by the high anti-Ecopop vote, a new non-partisan citizens group (See Le News story in this issue) is now seeking to abrogate the 9 February decision by launching a popular referendum against it. But is this the way democracy should work? Would it not be better to have one’s parliamentarians decide? After all, that’s their job and that’s why we elect them. The occasional referendum may be empowering, and sounds great when explaining the effectiveness of Swiss democracy to school children, but it’s not the way to run a country responsibly.
Edward Girardet, Managing editor. editor@lenews.ch
Jerome says
What Lenews does with its editorial is to provoke debate. Thats the point of a newspaper. To get people thinking. It sounds like Thake does not like other people to have opinions. I am not sure if he is Swiss but he sounds like one of those who hates criticism or something that disturbs his well-being.
I am Swiss and live in France but we need to stop being so comfortable and self-important. Like the French, we have not behaved wonderfully in the past despite our great democracy. Too much democracy like too many votes can actually undermine real democracy. Like Edward Girardet says. I think Switzerland would be better off with less referendums and only focus on those which are really important. Swiss MPs in Berne are by and large responsible. We vote for them, so I expect them to be professional. They should be the ones voting on subjects which can be handled by parliament. I agree with the other reader how dangerous the February migration vote was. It has done much harm to Switzerland. I also agree that many Swiss do not understand, although maybe now they do, the importance of the bilaterals with the EU. But these voters are threatening our economy. Think Mr Thake. If you are foreign, welcome to Switzerland. We don’t all think like mountain people.
Jeremy McTeague says
Thanks for your insights, Jerome. Your measured comments really describe what Le News is trying to achieve. The Le News Editorial Team
E. Boder says
“We don’t all think like mountain people.”
Wow! What a demeaning and degrading way to talk about your fellow Swiss! In light of the February 9 vote on immigration it was in fact NOT the so-called “rural” Swiss that made the difference – It was NOT that so-called “mountain people” who brought about the swing in pro-MEI voting – It was in fact voters in Urban and semi-urban areas on Switzerland who made the difference and who pulled the approval through!
“Like the French, we have not behaved wonderfully in the past”
Really!? You are going to say that Switzerland and France are on equal footing when it comes to “not behaving”!? I wonder, how many wars of aggression Switzerland has engaged in compared to France …
“Too much democracy like too many votes can actually undermine real democracy.”
Please do explain that! 😀 And while your at it define your opinion of what is “real democracy”!
“Switzerland would be better off with less referendums and only focus on those which are really important.”
Maybe you have been living in France a little too long, but there already exists a process that sifts through initiatives to see if they have some validity etc … and then AFTER that screening they are passed to the people. Who are you, or anyone else for that matter, to decide arbitrarily what is or is not “really important”!?
“I agree with the other reader how dangerous the February migration vote was. It has done much harm to Switzerland. I also agree that many Swiss do not understand, although maybe now they do, the importance of the Bilateral’s with the EU. But these voters are threatening our economy. ”
1. So if people vote against what you like they are nothing but ignorant “mountain people” – but if they vote the way you like they clearly “understand” the issues!? Wow – that’s some form of “real democracy” you get there Jerome!
2. Please do explain in detail how “much harm” the MEI has done “to Switzerland”. – And then compare that supposed “harm” with the observed and present harm that is occurring to Switzerland due to a lack of control of our immigration policies!
3. The Bilateral’s were only agreed on by the Swiss people for mostly one reason – for fear of having the Swiss economy discriminated against, and sanctioned against, by Brussels! It was a strong-arm maneuver from the EU – “Either you except our ideologies and the EU baggage, and we won’t discriminate against your economy, or you can reject our swath of treaties and be sanctioned … Your choice.” – That is no choice at all but amounts to little more than blackmail and extortion! The sooner we wean our economy from the shackles of the EU (mind you I am speaking of Brussels and not the European states themselves) the better!!
This is no longer an equal partnership – as the treaties state they are – and we Swiss are expected to accept the pros with the cons of our Bilateral’s with the EU, whereas the EU bears absolutely no cons for those same Bilateral’s with us! – So who is getting to “cherry pick” there!?
Darryl Godfrey says
I very much agree with Michael Thake – the advantages of the Swiss system very much outweigh the disadvantages. The reason that the Swiss model is not copied is that politicians are terrified of it! I think it’s important that the citizens control politicians, not the other way around.
KE says
Good article. Mr Girardet shows what the big problem is with referendums in Switzerland. They sound wonderful, but what happens when uninformed voters make important decisions about our country’s future. The February vote was disaster for sane thinking people in Switzerland. How many German speakers (I am a German speaker) in the country side with village mentalities understood what it means to have a good economy and lifestyle. They just don’t like foreigners and that is dangerous. I get fed up with the EU sometimes, but Switzerland cannot live without Europe. I know that parliamentarians may not always be good, but I agree that is what they are paid for. One has to have trust for politicians to do the right thing. They should be the ones who are informed. I vote for them so they have my trust. I expect them to make infomred decisions. Mr Girardet, those comments above have not thought in depth about the importance of voting. They are the ones who drip with arrogance. I lkke Le News. Continue the good work.
E. Boder says
“what happens when uninformed voters make important decisions about our country’s future.”
Again, the age-old excuse of “anyone who votes for something I am against is obviously uninformed” nonsense!
I have traveled for the better part of my life – 6 continents and 42 countries to date – and I have to say that the Swiss people are some of the most profoundly observant and informed people I have ever come across! They may not be boisterous and loud, but they watch, listen and learn better than most I have had the pleasure of living amongst!
And honestly, who are you to judge who is or is not “informed” – perhaps you are the one who was “uninformed”!?
Either way this kind of rhetoric only shows the true nature of people like you – and it’s demeaning and presumptuous, to say the least!
“The February vote was disaster for sane thinking people in Switzerland.”
So you’re reaction to not getting your way is to brandish all those opposed to you “insane” and “uninformed”!? Good start – I would hate to live in your democracy …
“How many German speakers (I am a German speaker) in the country side with village mentalities understood what it means to have a good economy and lifestyle.”
Seriously!? Maybe you should go and actually talk with some of your fellow Swiss who live in the “country side” and who have “village mentalities” instead of treating them like crap on the sole of your shoe! I have – and I have found people who are very well educated (even the ones in their 40s and 50s), are very knowledgeable of a lot of economic issues, and have a very good handle on whats going on in Switzerland. But I will tell you what may be the biggest difference between people like you, who feel justified with bad-mouthing those who work the hardest in this country and who feed you, and people like them – and it is life priorities! – Simply put, not everyone in Switzerland will sell their soul for so-called “economic growth” – there is a price to pay and these “country side” folks understand that – whereas you obviously don’t!
Additionally, It was NOT that so-called “country side” people who brought about the swing in pro-MEI voting – It was in fact voters in Urban and semi-urban areas in Switzerland who made the difference and who pulled the approval through! I had even talked with several of the farmers around my area before the Feb 9 vote, and about half of them were going to vote against it.
“They just don’t like foreigners and that is dangerous.”
No – that is in fact incorrect for the vast majority. Sure there are some extremes here and there – just as there are also on the other side of the debate, but your generalizations make one wonder if you are even truly Swiss! They don’t have a dislike to foreigners – just as Australia, the US, and in fact the vast majority of nations around the world don’t have independent immigration policy control just because they dislike foreigners – this is hilarious! I have yet to meet a single Swiss person who does not like foreigners across the board – but yes, I can find many who dislike criminals and those misusing the Social Welfare system, or illegal immigrants etc … and this is not “xenophobia” because it is not a “phobia” at all – it is a very legitimate and rational wariness to that which is of negative influence to our economy and our society! – And the vast majority of the world would agree to this!
“Switzerland cannot live without Europe.”
Nobody wants Switzerland to “live without Europe” – but what we don’t want to have to live UNDER is EU rule! There is a very big difference between being pro-EU and pro-Europe.
Fact of the matter is that Switzerland will never have to live without the EU. Even if the Bilaterals crumble (which is completely unrealistic for Brussels to allow, given the EU’s dire economic situation) Switzerland is already expanding its trade agreements with a host of other nations, including the BRICS. The EU will sooner or later be competed against by other markets, and at some point it will have to start giving into the pressure of healthy competition. Switzerland can get ahead, and in some ways is already ahead, of it’s European neighbors, by being proactive when it comes to forming global trade routes, outside the confines of the overbearing EU bureaucratic behemoth!
“One has to have trust for politicians to do the right thing. They should be the ones who are informed. I vote for them so they have my trust. I expect them to make infomred decisions.”
Just Wow! The naivety is shocking!
Today I talked with a friend of mine who is, for all intents and purposes, on the opposite side of many referendums than myself. He told me that he had been one of the ones who voted for the Bilaterals with the EU, and that now all he could do was think of how naive he was to have done so. He regrets it now but is disparaged with how Switzerland can dig itself out of this mess.
Michael Thake says
SWITZERLAND’S INITIATIVES: TOO MUCH DEMOCRACY ?
Dear Swiss people
Please, PLEASE do not listen to this ridiculous article.
Switzerland is a very nice, well run, country. The fundamental reason for that is you have kept control of your politicians. Look at the other ‘democracies’ in western europe, indeed the rest of the world, to see what I mean. Yes, you have to have referenda every three months, so what. A small price to keep people like Blair, Sarkozy, Berlusconi, Bush and Putin and their lackeys from getting control and the resulting dogma, fraud and demagoguery that takes place. Most, if not all, other ‘democracies’ are broken because the populations abrogated responsibility, and allowed these kind of people to get control.
Some results of your democracy may be inconvenient and you may not like them, but this is democracy. The result is the safe, healthy and stable society that you have.
No other country in the world has such grass-roots democracy as Switzerland. Please work hard to keep it.
E. Boder says
Fully agree! Thanks for speaking out here!!
Nothing in this world is perfect, but we are honored and blessed, not to mention the envy of so many people, for the way we can directly decide as a nation on what we want and don’t want.
EAB says
Article dripping with arrogance and pure lies! To all reading this article please bear in mind that this is pure speculative nonsense with largely no basis in reality. Better to check out Swiss news websites and use the Chrome browser to translate them – this is not “news” – this is pure, generously applied, propaganda!