Parliament will again debate Switzerland’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council just before the election by the UN General Assembly scheduled for June 2022. A request from the People’s Party for an extraordinary session on the issue was revealed on Sunday in the Swiss press and later confirmed by Franz Grüter, the party’s chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission.
Two motions tabled by the Swiss People’s Party last December, calling on the government to abstain from applying for a seat on the Security Council, are due to be debated during this session. The discussion should take place before the election in New York, Grüter pointed out.
According to the parliamentarian, a seat at the Security Council would weaken Switzerland’s role as mediator which is “extremely important”. This role was evident both in the recent Geneva talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and in the face-to-face meeting in June last year between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin.
The decision on whether Switzerland will for the first time occupy one of the ten non-permanent seats on the powerful UN body for the period 2023-2024 will be taken in New York in June. The odds of being elected are good. So far, only Malta has announced its candidacy for the two vacant seats in the Western Regional Group.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife, Eva Pavlova, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
Study shows proliferation of non-native plants is driver of insect invasions
This content was published on
A global study has revealed that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of non-native plants. This can can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts.
Swiss set record for world’s longest hyperloop test
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have established a record for the longest-ever hyperloop journey at a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Swiss army wants to purchase new German armoured howitzers to replace its existing artillery system which has been in operation for over 50 years.
Poll suggests Donald Trump has many fans in Switzerland
This content was published on
Around a quarter of Swiss citizens would vote for Donald Trump if they had the chance, according to a recent poll. This percentage is higher than in many other European countries.
Swiss court rejects special assistance for student with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Court has rejected an application for special assistance from a student with disabilities at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Police arrest 15 drug dealers in Verbier in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss and French police have arrested 15 suspected drug dealers operating in the mountain resort of Verbier in southern Switzerland.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
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
What would Switzerland gain from a seat on the UN Security Council?
This content was published on
Switzerland is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Why does it want to mix with the big powers?
Swiss budget CHF24.5 million for Security Council candidacy
This content was published on
Switzerland intends to invest CHF24.5 million to support its candidacy and its seat on the UN Security Council for 2023 and 2024.
Ex-diplomat warns Switzerland about UN Security Council bid
This content was published on
Switzerland would subject itself to unwelcome political pressure should it get a seat on the UN Security Council, says a former Swiss ambassador.
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.