https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Swiss voters on Sunday narrowly backed a ban on full face coverings in public places, which includes burqas and other forms of clothing that conceal the face. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210308/explained-what-impact-will-the-burqa-ban-have-on-switzerland Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:12:01 +0100 explained-what-impact-will-the-burqa-ban-have-on-switzerland In the second round of national vote to be held on June 13th, the Swiss will have to weigh in on two initiatives and three referendums. From coronavirus lockdowns to terrorism, there are plenty of big issues at stake. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210304/switzerland-announces-five-new-referendum-questions Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:11:54 +0100 switzerland-announces-five-new-referendum-questions The Swiss will cast their votes on March 7th on three different issues. One of them involves free trade agreement with Indonesia. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210303/what-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-palm-oil-referendum Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:54:53 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-palm-oil-referendum The Federal Act on Electronic Identification Services (LSIE) one of the three issues at the ballot box in Switzerland on March 7th. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210302/explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-digital-id-vote-on-sunday Tue, 02 Mar 2021 13:29:03 +0100 explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-digital-id-vote-on-sunday In an ongoing effort to include foreign nationals in Switzerland’s political decisions, one party is proposing granting voting rights to foreign nationals in federal elections. It submitted the project on Monday, while the parliament is in its spring session. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210302/qa-will-foreigners-in-switzerland-finally-get-the-right-to-vote-in-federal-elections Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:00:29 +0100 qa-will-foreigners-in-switzerland-finally-get-the-right-to-vote-in-federal-elections Swiss voters will go to the ballot box on March 7th to weigh in on three issues. One of the most controversial ones is the so-called ‘anti-burqa’ initiative. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210301/explained-what-is-switzerlands-anti-burqa-initiative-all-about Mon, 01 Mar 2021 17:13:25 +0100 explained-what-is-switzerlands-anti-burqa-initiative-all-about A clear majority of Switzerland's voters favour introducing a nationwide prohibition agains wearing face-covering garments in public spaces, known as a "burqa ban", a poll showed Friday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210122/swiss-favour-burqa-ban-poll-show Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:36:08 +0100 swiss-favour-burqa-ban-poll-show A plan in Switzerland to impose the world's strictest corporate responsibility rules, which would have made Swiss-headquartered multinationals liable for abusive business practices worldwide, failed to pass in a vote on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201129/swiss-reject-worlds-strictest-corporate-responsibility-rules Sun, 29 Nov 2020 16:11:40 +0100 swiss-reject-worlds-strictest-corporate-responsibility-rules Switzerland’s voters will go to the polls on November 29th to decide on two popular initiatives. Here's the issues to be decided. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201110/swiss-democracy-whats-at-stake-in-the-november-29th-vote Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:41:17 +0100 swiss-democracy-whats-at-stake-in-the-november-29th-vote In addition to two national initiatives, voters in three German-speaking cantons will decide on local issues driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201119/explained-what-coronavirus-related-issues-will-be-voted-on-november-29th Thu, 19 Nov 2020 12:58:23 +0100 explained-what-coronavirus-related-issues-will-be-voted-on-november-29th Voters across Switzerland on Sunday resoundingly rejected initiatives aimed at boosting local farming and promoting more ethical and environmental standards in food production, amid fears of cost hikes and reduced consumer choice. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180923/swiss-reject-agriculture-schemes-in-national-vote Sun, 23 Sep 2018 20:08:58 +0200 swiss-reject-agriculture-schemes-in-national-vote Swiss voters will decide on Sunday whether to back a new gambling law designed to prevent addiction and allow some online betting, or reject what opponents say amounts to internet censorship. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180608/swiss-to-place-bets-on-gambling-law-in-high-stakes-referendum Fri, 08 Jun 2018 14:01:02 +0200 swiss-to-place-bets-on-gambling-law-in-high-stakes-referendum Most Bern city councillors were in favour of a new campaign to encourage people in the Swiss capital to get on their bikes, however on Thursday they accidentally voted to slash the campaign’s grant by more than half after some councillors pressed the wrong button during the electronic vote. https://www.thelocal.ch/20171117/bern-cycling-campaign-sees-grant-accidentally-slashed-after-officials-mess-up-vote Fri, 17 Nov 2017 11:18:54 +0100 bern-cycling-campaign-sees-grant-accidentally-slashed-after-officials-mess-up-vote Swiss voters rejected on Sunday a divisive pension reform plan that the government proposed to address the needs of an ageing population. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170924/swiss-vote-against-plan-to-save-pensions Sun, 24 Sep 2017 17:03:04 +0200 swiss-vote-against-plan-to-save-pensions Switzerland votes Sunday on a divisive pension reform plan the government says is vital to safeguard benefits but which critics deride as too modest to rescue a retirement system in financial peril. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170924/swiss-vote-on-plan-to-save-pensions Sun, 24 Sep 2017 12:11:53 +0200 swiss-vote-on-plan-to-save-pensions The Swiss may get the chance to vote on the introduction of a nationwide ban on the burqa after campaigners from the so-called Egerkingen committee succeeded in gathering the required number of signatures to push the issue to a referendum. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170913/switzerland-moves-step-closer-to-voting-on-nationwide-burqa-ban Wed, 13 Sep 2017 13:50:07 +0200 switzerland-moves-step-closer-to-voting-on-nationwide-burqa-ban A narrow majority of Swiss will support a reform of the country’s old-age pension system in next month’s nationwide vote, a survey has found. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170818/survey-narrow-majority-in-favour-of-pension-reform Fri, 18 Aug 2017 11:05:56 +0200 survey-narrow-majority-in-favour-of-pension-reform Finance Minister Ueli Maurer has presented his plan B for a new corporate tax after the last attempt at a change to the law was thrown out by voters. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170602/finance-minister-makes-new-bid-to-reform-company-tax Fri, 02 Jun 2017 10:53:42 +0200 finance-minister-makes-new-bid-to-reform-company-tax The public voted on nine popular initiatives in 2016 and rejected them all. https://www.thelocal.ch/20161230/from-basic-income-to-tax-equality-swiss-reject-nine-popular-initiatives-in-2016 Fri, 30 Dec 2016 12:56:21 +0100 from-basic-income-to-tax-equality-swiss-reject-nine-popular-initiatives-in-2016 A member of the Social Democrats has launched a surprise referendum bid against parliament-approved plans to implement curbs on immigration. https://www.thelocal.ch/20161229/swiss-may-vote-again-on-restricting-immigration Thu, 29 Dec 2016 11:43:45 +0100 swiss-may-vote-again-on-restricting-immigration