Swiss in Boston discuss value of being heard in Bern

For the mobile Swiss community, should official voting materials be issued in English, too?

As part of our series of roundtable discussions in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in October, Swiss people living in the Greater Boston area weigh in on the issues that matter most to them.

In this talk we hear from the New England representative to the Council of the Swiss AbroadExternal link, the president of Friends of SwitzerlandExternal link, and two executives who have lived in the US for many years. They mentioned the need for easier-to-understand voting materials, better recognition of foreign qualifications, and a more inclusive description of their kind: “mobile” rather than “expat” Swiss.

SWI on tour
How do Swiss citizens living abroad view the political debate in their home country? What is important to the expat Swiss community when they vote?

To tap into the mood of the “fifth Switzerland” during this general election year, swissinfo.ch visited clubs in Europe as well as the Americas in summer 2019. Within the United States, we met Swiss living in Boston, Denver, Minneapolis and New Orleans.

For more interviews, portraits and behind-the-scenes coverage, check out the hashtags #SWIonTour and #WeAreSwissAbroad on InstagramExternal link, FacebookExternal link and TwitterExternal link.

Want to get in touch with us? Use the comment section below, or reach out to discussion leader Susan MisickaExternal link on Twitter.

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During his honeymoon in Maine, John Willis, a lawyer from Boston, discovered that he loved hiking in the mountains. Later, he realized that his Swiss family had been doing it for generations. #weareswissabroad #SWIontour #MoJo #Boston #switzerland #directdemocracy #swisspoliticsExternal link

A post shared by SWI swissinfo.chExternal link (@swissinfo.ch) on Jul 26, 2019 at 1:27am PDT

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Susanne Cook-Greuter, now retired, received a PhD in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. She left Switzerland in the 1970s looking for more educational opportunities for women. #SWIontour #weareswissabroad #MoJo #BostonExternal link

A post shared by SWI swissinfo.chExternal link (@swissinfo.ch) on Jul 22, 2019 at 3:34am PDT

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Rudi Scheiber-Kurtz, a business finance specialist, likes the fact that Switzerland has so many political parties. #boston #swiontour #weareswissabroad #swisspolitics #directdemocracy #switzerland #swiss #federalelectionExternal link

A post shared by SWI swissinfo.chExternal link (@swissinfo.ch) on Sep 26, 2019 at 10:54pm PDT