The Council of the Swiss Abroad meeting in Bern on Friday adopted a manifesto in the runup to federal parliamentary elections this autumn, calling notably for free movement of people to be maintained.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
Italiano
it
Il Consiglio degli svizzeri all’estero chiede garanzie in vista delle elezioni federali
More than 218,000 Swiss abroad, registered to vote, will be able to take part in the election. They also have a new election website: www.elections-2023.ch/fr. The Swiss abroad number some 788,000 people and represent one tenth of the Swiss population.
“There are more Swiss voters abroad than in some Swiss cantons,” said Filippo Lombardi, president of the Organisation of the Swiss AbroadExternal link (OSA). “The parties, candidates and authorities must realise the importance of their concerns.”
In the manifesto addressed to the political authorities, the Council of the Swiss Abroad calls for the guarantee and promotion of the exercise of political rights abroad. Delegates also want Swiss politicians to promote the development of e-government in the next legislative period, to push ahead with the removal of obstacles to mobility linked to social insurance, and to maintain the consular network abroad.
Members were able to participate online for the first time in the March 17 session. The Council has 140 members and meets twice a year. It aims to represent the interests of Swiss citizens abroad vis-à-vis the authorities and the public in Switzerland.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Why Switzerland is an archaeological treasure trove
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
‘Pressure will increase on Switzerland to invest more in defence’
This content was published on
Markus Mäder, Switzerland's state secretary for security policy, believes that more cooperation is needed in order to strengthen defence in Europe.
Just one in five Swiss attend a religious service at Easter
This content was published on
Only one in five people in Switzerland attend a religious service during the Easter period or give up meat or alcohol for at least one day of fasting. Around 25% of those polled see Easter primarily as a family holiday, according to the survey.
Major road disruptions continue after heavy snowfall in parts of Switzerland
This content was published on
The snowfall has ended in the southern Swiss canton of Valais, the cantonal emergency services said on Friday. Several roads, however, remain closed.
Swiss businessman gets prison term for asbestos deaths
This content was published on
Stephan Schmidheiny has been sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison by the Turin Court of Appeal in a case against the former Eternit executive over deaths linked to asbestos exposure in Italy.
This content was published on
Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Digital nomads: what to consider as a temporary Swiss Abroad
This content was published on
Before the pandemic they were considered exotic; today digital nomads are in vogue. But the dream lifestyle is not without pitfalls.
This content was published on
The votes of Swiss citizens living abroad are highly sought after, but their political rights are also the target of criticism.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.