BrainCan - direct democracy

2019: a big year ahead for democracy

Forget about the backsliding autocrats in Beijing,Washington, Ankara and Brasilia. In 2019 billions...

we have to stand firm, using our democratic...

Governments should make an effort to reach out to the young generation which uses the internet and...

taiwan s young democracy has swiss genes

On Saturday,Taiwan will experience a first: Voters on this Asian island face more than ten national...

a marathon, not a sprint: what the midterm...

Many people in Switzerland are deeply concerned approximately the state of American democracy. Why?...

the decade of ballot box upsets is over

Since the last parliamentary elections in Switzerland in 2015,the Swiss people enjoy not adopted one...

italy should learn from swiss direct democracy

Forcing a nationwide poll is too easy: while appreciating Swiss direct democracy,Davide Wüthrich...

three ways to improve taiwans direct democracy

The novel conventional wisdom is that electoral democracy is in decline. But the assumption ignores...

foreigner voting rights: broad variety of opinions

What conclude swissinfo.ch readers make of the notion of granting foreigners in Switzerland the...

swiss law first initiative given short shrift at...

Voters hold rejected a legal-wing proposal to put the Swiss constitution above international law....

referendums still thriving amid covid measures

In this week’s democracy briefing: as the Swiss government announces new Covid...

are 16 year olds mature enough to vote? no.

On Friday,students are once again taking to Switzerland’s streets to demand action from...

global democracy looking better as switzerland...

Increased political participation around the world has halted a democratic backslide,finds the...

the turbulent birth of the youngest swiss canton

Exactly 40 years ago,on September 24, 1978, and Swiss voters gave the go-ahead for the creation of...

an arctic approach to constitutional drafting

The North Atlantic region is focused on participatory and direct democratic constitution making,with...

everyone s political ideas are considered

Lis Zandberg is concerned that Switzerlands political system is undermined whether citizens stay...

europe, not the economy, will decide swiss...

Almost everywhere in the world,the state of the economy is seen as the decisive factor determining...

champions league finals for modern direct...

Should the government financially support cows with horns? What should an Olympic delegation be...

swiss media stuck in negative spiral

The Swiss media landscape remains of tall quality but an “alarmingly tall” concentration is a...

swiss post launches demo version for e voting

Swiss citizens of some cantons who live abroad have a choice of two systems with which to vote...

chile lacks switzerlands democracy

For young Swiss living abroad,direct democracy offers citizens greater opportunities to integrate...

switzerland ticks differently with social media...

Fake news,incitement to violence, conspiracy theories, and censorship: social media giants beget a...

popular initiative for the glaciers launched

The popular initiative to anchor climate protection in the structure and dramatically reduce...

the four ingredients of a successful people s...

The people’s initiative is the fundamental instrument of Swiss direct democracy,but a number of...

the power of voting: still not a matter of course

In this week’s democracy briefing: kicking off SWI swissinfo.ch’s series on 50 years of...

it s time to let 16 and 17 year olds vote

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to speak for themselves at the poll box to make their...

it s time to let 16 and 17 year olds vote

Sixteen and 17-year-olds should be allowed to speak for themselves at the ballot box to make their...

mps are the biggest lobbyists in swiss parliament

This autumn,the Swiss are set to elect a unique parliament. But MPs are increasingly, and more...

when political education begins with the army

It may approach as a surprise to learn that political education is a challenge even in Switzerland...

hackers wanted for swiss e voting system

Registration is open for those who want to help reveal cracks in Switzerland’s future e-voting...

citizens juries - providing a neutral...

In Switzerland,issues up for vote are typically complex and the interests of different parties are...

swiss expats clearly reject swiss law first ...

Swiss citizens living abroad came out even more strongly against a rightwing proposal to put the...

are political parties ready for the big race?

Switzerland’s political parties are gearing up for parliamentary elections in October 2019. The...

connect people in the oceania region with those in...

Ryan Cooper says he wants to encourage Swiss clubs in Australia to be more open towards the younger...

vote on co2 law could be close, pollsters say

Opponents of a law aimed at reducing Switzerland’s carbon footprint acquire narrowed the gap with...

no e vote option for the swiss parliamentary...

Swiss Post has suspended its e-voting system effectively spelling the terminate of the online trials...

gun lobby looks set to miss its referendum target

Voters have the final say on Sunday on a controversial reform of Swiss gun law to bring it in line...

gun law and corporate tax reforms poised for...

Opponents of restrictions on gun ownership in Switzerland own not been able to win substantial...

study reveals huge demand for e voting in...

Over two-thirds of Swiss people believe all citizens should be able to vote online,a national survey...

historian casts doubt on swiss reverence of direct...

Even whether the symbolic value of citizen participation in decision-making should not be...

left behind and locked out of swiss democracy

Democracy bases its legitimacy on the promise to adequately and appropriately represent the...

do the swiss have a weakness for surveillance?

On Sunday,almost two-thirds of Swiss voters approved the spend of private investigators by public...

a social experiment gets opposites talking

How often achieve you talk to someone who has totally different views? Switzerland has ventured into...

swiss eu relations are at a dead end

German journalist Steffen Klatt takes a sober look at the state of relations...

petition launched to rescue insect life in...

Environmental and farming organisations are urging the Swiss government to come to the rescue of...

expat swiss push for e voting despite reluctance...

The expat Swiss assembly is putting pressure on the government and parliament to ensure that...

e voting suffers setback in parliament

The introduction of e-voting for the registered Swiss expat community has received another setback...

the right to vote as a matter of heart

Most countries claim to have universal suffrage. And yet,no country in the world fully applies it....

women in swiss politics: still a long way to go

Fifty years after getting the right to vote,women are better represented in the Swiss parliament...

proposed burka ban has solid support, poll finds

Supporters of a proposed face-cover ban in Switzerland bear a clear lead over opponents ahead of a...

switzerland mirrors the new fragmented europe

On the night of the elections for the 9th European parliament there was great satisfaction in many...

computer glitch prevents foreigners from voting in...

final month’s vote on renovating the Montreux Music & conference Centre has been declared null and...

public media striving to give taxpayers their...

In an era of Spotify and Netflix,where does public media fit in – and how can it stay relevant and...

opposition against e voting project gathers pace

A committee of politicians and computer experts is launching a people’s initiative aimed at...

swiss to have final say on corporate tax and gun...

Campaigners maintain handed in the necessary signatures for nationwide votes in May on a reform on...

swiss expats clearly reject swiss law first...

Swiss citizens living abroad came out even more strongly against a rightwing proposal to keep the...

a high speed ticino road advances at snail s pace

A long-awaited highway project is finally in the works in the Swiss canton of Ticino,a victim of...

will direct democracy save italy once again?

Italy,a proud co-founder of the European Union, is in faulty shape. The nation seems at odds with...

politics: when the losers come out on top

Radical political ideas can serve bring about changes,even when they are roundly rejected at the...

other countries should follow the swiss example

Timothy Forman says it is tough to motivate young people in the Czech Republic to participate in...

are people willing to make the small sacrifice for...

For Samuel Cremieux individual freedom has to be restricted to protect Europe from terrorism. He...

democracy is developing little by little in...

Democracy will prevail over the threat of terrorism,says Najib Bourkhis, a young Swiss who has lived...

global democracy forum to be held in swiss capital...

Bern authorities have given the disappear-ahead for the city to host the ninth Global Forum on...

president praises swiss values at wef

Swiss President Ueli Maurer has opened the World Economic Forum (WEF) by praising “Swiss” values...

through the swiss presidents eyes

Alain Berset ends his 12-month term as Swiss president at the discontinuance of 2018. Over the past...

new form of democracy in my country is a great...

Laura Derrer says she is intrigued by a proposal to let citizens vote on constitutional amendments...

why can t voting papers be sent to the swiss...

A quarter of Swiss citizens who live abroad struggle to return their voting papers in time – with...

humour over rumour : lessons from taiwan in...

Democracies around the world are scrambling to respond to the increasing challenge of online...

pension reform in switzerland: a democratic...

The reform of pension systems is a pressing item on most political agendas worldwide. But in...

low paid workers in geneva to receive extra...

Voters in canton Geneva have decided to grant additional financial support to low-income earners hit...

local voters approve st gallen university...

On Sunday voters in St Gallen gave the go-ahead to grantits university CHF160 million ($164...

basel voters pour cold water over plans for zoo...

Voters in Basel maintain rejected a controversial project to build a giant aquarium complex for the...

organ donation initiative gains critical support

The people’s initiative to introduce presumed consent for organ donation has received the minimum...

app launched to help swiss voters

The Swiss own launched an app that provides background information as well as the results of all...

swiss regulation of commodity trade long overdue

Several global commodity traders that call Switzerland domestic have been repeatedly accused of...

let the british people decide the outcome of...

Two years and 144 days after the historic vote,London and Brussels gain finally agreed draft terms...

insurance fraud is unfair and asocial

Using social welfare detectives has reduced the number of fraud cases massively over the past...

insurance surveillance law is open to...

Insurance companies will be allowed to spy on individuals claiming social security payments whether...

who should decide on turning the clocks back?

The EU wants to say goodbye to Daylight Saving Time. This move follows an online survey concluding...

swiss first principle could cause upset at ballot...

A rightwing proposal to put the Swiss structure above international law has potential to win a...

canada could benefit from a fairer voting system

Canada should introduce a voting system similar to the Swiss method,says Michael Valente from...

geneva shops to open three sundays per year,...

Voters in Geneva beget narrowly accepted a new law to allow shops remain open on Sundays. A trial...

one third of the world living in autocratising ...

Numbers living under autocratic systems own risen to 1990 levels, but it’s not time to sound...

can participatory democracy raise voter turnouts?

Biel (Bienne,in French) is best-known for being the capital of Swiss watchmaking and for being the...

which people s initiatives were launched in 2018?

What’s on the mid-term horizon for Swiss voters? In 2018,eight people’s initiatives were...

hotly debated swiss law first initiative awaits...

Swiss voters are deciding on a fair-wing proposal to put their country’s constitution above...

does the swiss law first initiative strengthen...

On November 25,voters will decide whether the Swiss structure should take...

unions lend weight to fight against corporate tax...

Trade unions and leftwing political parties enjoy announced their intention of fighting proposed...

expats between bank accounts and welfare benefits

The Council of the Swiss Abroad has called on parliament to reject a proposal linking welfare...

the battle for the future of electronic voting

Government-owned Swiss Post has become the latest player to enter the electronic voting...

computer scientists struggle to get e voting right

Fully automated,secure systems for electronic voting are technically feasible, but implementing them...

gender neutral language: an issue for the ballot...

As more public and private media try to communicate gender neutrally,some say it’s a distraction...

swiss burka ban accepted by slim majority

Supporters of a people’s initiative to ban face coverings in public have carried the vote with a...

proposal launched for limited health insurance...

Another people's initiative has been launched aimed at reforming the Swiss health insurance...

locals to vote on st gallen university expansion...

On Sunday voters in canton St Gallen will determine whether to grant its university CHF160 million...

voters to have final say on arms export ban

Campaigners for a ban on Swiss arms exports absorb handed in the essential number of signatures to...

democracy in action, from hong kong to switzerland

Our democracy team examines protests in Hong Kong,strikes in Switzerland and the latest in politics...

how e voting became a fight for democracy

After years of tests and talks,e-voting in Switzerland is at a crossroads. The government wants to...

populist leaning voters want more direct democracy...

Populist parties are on the rise in most European countries. But finish the citizens that back them...

swiss law first initiative challenged many voters

A study shows that many voters did not fully understand the relevance of a rightwing proposal...

while us politics remains divisive, direct...

While much of the focus of this past US election night was on the tall-profile congressional and...

opaque political financing blights swiss democracy...

Once again,the Swiss democratic system has received destitute marks for refusing to identify the...

cost concerns eat away at support for food...

Two proposals to promote sustainable agriculture in Switzerland and ethical food absorb seen a...

154,000 to use e voting from next year

Around 97000 Swiss-based voters and 57000 Swiss abroad will be able to consume e-voting in the next...

cartoons - capturing freedom of expression

Caricatures,political cartoons – these are often fun or at least acquire you smile. But they are...

critics force vote to rein in government s covid...

The powers of the Swiss government to curtail public life due to the pandemic is on the agenda for a...

what s on the agenda for swiss voters on march 7

Burkas,electronic identities, and Indonesian palm oil will be on the menu for the first of four...

gun lobby misses its target as swiss voters...

Voters bear endorsed a controversial reform of Swiss gun law to bring it into line with European...

voters opt for radical measures in anticipation of...

According to a study,around 6% of Swiss voters approve a people’s initiative that they consider...

geneva prosecutor finds no signs of electoral...

The Geneva justice authorities say they have found no evidence of possible electoral fraud,but an...

additional flaw found in swiss post e voting...

A moment error in the Swiss Post planned e-voting system has been discovered as the public intrusion...

ch media cuts two sunday newspapers and staff

Switzerland is losing two Sunday newspapers - the Zentralschweiz am Sonntag and the Ostschweiz am...

life as a part time local swiss politician

Politics as a fragment-time job: That’s the idea of the militia system. Thousands of Swiss...

plans for permanent e vote option put to...

The Swiss government is going ahead with plans to introduce the option of permanent electronic...

swiss commodity traders at the forefront of best...

Switzerland is at the forefront of best practices when it comes to addressing modern supply chain...

support for swiss law first initiative remains...

A rightwing proposal to put Swiss law above international law has failed to win additional support...

big brother on the doorstep?

Voters occupy the final say on November 25 on amended legislation which would enable private...

swiss law first initiative: what s at stake?

The initiative ‘Swiss law,not foreign judges’ aims to give the constitution explicit priority...

hundreds of swiss sign up for unconditional income

With more than enough willing participants,the experiment with the unconditional basic income in the...

paternity leave takes a step forward in senate...

The question of paternity leave passed a first milestone in the Swiss parliament on Thursday as...

most swiss expats to lose e voting access in...

Swiss citizens overseas registered for e-voting in the cantons of Geneva,Bern, Aargau and Lucerne...

hackers uncover significant flaw in swiss post e...

A major bug has been identified in the new Swiss Post’s e-voting system. Hackers reported the flaw...

bern police given increased powers while new...

Voters in canton Bern have clearly approved a law giving police increased powers for covert...

moutier vote judged an embarrassment for swiss...

“Shockwave”,“political earthquake”, “mess”: for the Swiss newspapers, or the thwarted...

foundations for league of democracy cities laid...

What are the greatest engines of democratization? Cities. At the seventh Global Forum on...

should switzerland have a parliament for young...

Moves are afoot to create a new national youth parliament in Switzerland. The time has near to...

direct democracy enters new phase of digital era

The government plans to introduce e-voting for all Swiss citizens and will give its expatriates...

controversial anti terrorism law wins voter...

Voters have endorsed a series of measures allowing police to crack down on militant extremists and...

burka ban campaigners lose ground ahead of vote

Support for a proposed ban on facial coverings,including burkas, in Switzerland appears to be on the...

swiss parliament greenlights media support package

Parliament has approved an annual financial package of CHF150 million ($166 million) to help...

expat swiss weighs womens equality in uk and...

Leandra Bias,a Swiss woman living abroad, is a volunteer for the British Women’s Equality Party,...

swiss post s e voting system pulled for may votes

The e-voting system operated by Swiss Post will not be available for nationwide votes on May 19....

swiss to vote on animal experiment ban

Campaigners acquire filed 124000 signatures from Swiss citizens in favour of a ban on animal and...

unconditional swiss income experiment fails to get...

A programme that would have paid Swiss villagers CHF2500 a month in unconditional basic income has...

ethical food initiatives enjoy broad early support

Two proposals aimed at promoting sustainable food and local farm products in Switzerland enjoy an...

switzerland is three quarters of a democracy

Just three out of four people in Switzerland fill a Swiss passport,meaning that a quarter of...

the making of an unlikely modern direct democracy

The odds are seemingly against Taiwan in a world region with a lot of backward looking leaders,a...

new bid to stop relaxation of swiss arms exports

A Swiss group wants to launch a people’s initiative to discontinue the government from relaxing...

swiss gun tradition in the crossfire

Emotions are running high ahead of a nationwide vote on reforming Swiss gun law. Opponents argue...

separatist vote declared invalid in swiss town

A vote in Moutier,which final year saw the Swiss town switch allegiance from canton Bern to canton...

top swiss politician slams sexual inequalities

How much equality is there between the sexes in Switzerland,where women only got the accurate to...

direct democracy

Search category post

2019: a big year ahead for democracy

we have to stand firm, using our democratic...

taiwan s young democracy has swiss genes

a marathon, not a sprint: what the midterm...

the decade of ballot box upsets is over

italy should learn from swiss direct democracy

three ways to improve taiwans direct democracy

foreigner voting rights: broad variety of opinions

swiss law first initiative given short shrift at...

referendums still thriving amid covid measures

are 16 year olds mature enough to vote? no.

global democracy looking better as switzerland...

the turbulent birth of the youngest swiss canton

an arctic approach to constitutional drafting

everyone s political ideas are considered

europe, not the economy, will decide swiss...

champions league finals for modern direct...

swiss media stuck in negative spiral

swiss post launches demo version for e voting

chile lacks switzerlands democracy

switzerland ticks differently with social media...

popular initiative for the glaciers launched

the four ingredients of a successful people s...

the power of voting: still not a matter of course

it s time to let 16 and 17 year olds vote

it s time to let 16 and 17 year olds vote

mps are the biggest lobbyists in swiss parliament

when political education begins with the army

hackers wanted for swiss e voting system

citizens juries - providing a neutral...

swiss expats clearly reject swiss law first ...

are political parties ready for the big race?

connect people in the oceania region with those in...

vote on co2 law could be close, pollsters say

no e vote option for the swiss parliamentary...

gun lobby looks set to miss its referendum target

gun law and corporate tax reforms poised for...

study reveals huge demand for e voting in...

historian casts doubt on swiss reverence of direct...

left behind and locked out of swiss democracy

do the swiss have a weakness for surveillance?

a social experiment gets opposites talking

swiss eu relations are at a dead end

petition launched to rescue insect life in...

expat swiss push for e voting despite reluctance...

e voting suffers setback in parliament

the right to vote as a matter of heart

women in swiss politics: still a long way to go

proposed burka ban has solid support, poll finds

switzerland mirrors the new fragmented europe

computer glitch prevents foreigners from voting in...

public media striving to give taxpayers their...

opposition against e voting project gathers pace

swiss to have final say on corporate tax and gun...

swiss expats clearly reject swiss law first...

a high speed ticino road advances at snail s pace

will direct democracy save italy once again?

politics: when the losers come out on top

other countries should follow the swiss example

are people willing to make the small sacrifice for...

democracy is developing little by little in...

global democracy forum to be held in swiss capital...

president praises swiss values at wef

through the swiss presidents eyes

new form of democracy in my country is a great...

why can t voting papers be sent to the swiss...

humour over rumour : lessons from taiwan in...

pension reform in switzerland: a democratic...

low paid workers in geneva to receive extra...

local voters approve st gallen university...

basel voters pour cold water over plans for zoo...

organ donation initiative gains critical support

app launched to help swiss voters

swiss regulation of commodity trade long overdue

let the british people decide the outcome of...

insurance fraud is unfair and asocial

insurance surveillance law is open to...

who should decide on turning the clocks back?