This week the Economist magazine wrote of the UDC’s (SVP) highly effective election campaign and how it was a key driver of the party’s record breaking success in last weekend’s election. Instead of using the combative slogans of the past, voters were wooed with softer messages. Swiss 2015 federal elections: UDC gains big ground (Le […]
Why this former Swiss president’s days could be numbered
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf is currently one of the seven-member Swiss Federal Council, the executive branch of Switzerland’s government. While all seven members act collectively as the head of state, one holds the ceremonial title of Swiss president, acting as the nation’s figurehead for one year. Normally Federal Council members are reelected. Non-reelection of a sitting member […]
Swiss 2015 election turnout: large cantonal differences
20 Minutes. Overall voting participation in the 2015 Swiss federal elections was 48.41% according to the daily 20 Minutes, slightly lower than the 48.5% turnout for the 2011 Federal elections. The 50% mark has not been passed since 1979. The citizens of some cantons were more enthusiastic than others. This time the winner was Schaffhausen […]
Swiss People’s Party (UDC) set to win record share of votes in Swiss election
20 Minutes. A Switzerland-wide online survey done by the newspaper 20 Minutes last week, predicts the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) is set to win the largest share of votes in its history at the next Federal election. In the last election four years ago the party won 26.6% of votes. The poll predicts it will […]
Swiss immigration initiative RASA gets required number of signatures
Tribune de Genève. On 9 February 2014 a slim majority of 50.3% of Swiss voters called for an end to open immigration from European Union (EU) nations. Since then Switzerland has been engaged in difficult discussions with EU negotiators who say that Switzerland’s EU deals, which include trade, must come as a package and cannot […]
Swiss vote results 14 June 2015 – 2 Yes and 2 No
The results of the votes are largely as predicted. The vote to allow the genetic selections of embryos for certain parents passed with nearly 62% in favour. Voters in Vaud and Geneva were strongly in favour both with “yes” votes of more than 80%. Plans to change how TV-radio licences are charged and who must […]
Swiss vote on genetic selection of embryos – playing god or playing fair?
Sunday’s federal vote will include an issue that has divided political parties, and may give rise to some lively debate at home. It’s about whether to allow diagnostic screening of an embryo prior to its implantation in the womb. Pre-implantation diagnostics, which analyse the cell structure and genetic makeup of an embryo, will only be […]
More money for students? – Swiss vote
On 14 June 2015 Swiss voters will decide whether to increase tertiary student bursaries and make them a federal rather than a cantonal matter. Presently, bursaries are determined and paid by cantons and vary significantly from canton to canton. In 2013 the highest annual average of CHF 9,365 was in Vaud and the lowest of […]
Swiss vote to tax inheritance
On 14 June 2015 Swiss voters will be asked if they want to impose a 20% federal tax on inheritance. Gifts and donations while alive would also be caught by the tax. Currently inheritance tax is a cantonal matter and most Swiss cantons don’t levy any. The proposal The new federal tax of 20% would […]
Swiss TV-radio fee vote – out of control “tax“ or pragmatic step forward?
Some who move to Switzerland from abroad might not be aware that they are almost certainly required to pay one of the world’s highest broadcasting licence fees. An annual Swiss licence costs CHF 451.101 per household compared to a UK one, which costs CHF 210 (£145.50) – less than half. When you arrive in Switzerland […]
