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Röstigraben or Rösti divide

Rösti is a dish of pan-fried grated potato that is particularly popular in the German-speaking part of the country. Röstigraben – the Rösti trench – is frequently used in political discussion to describe the differences of mentality between the German- and French-language regions, particularly when there are federal votes. This demarcation line has become somewhat blurred in recent years, with many votes revealing a split between towns and country areas. Historically the word goes back to the First World War during which the French-Swiss sympathised with France and the German-Swiss sympathised with Germany.

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