Participating in democracy, a challenge for the Swiss Abroad

Should the Swiss Abroad have more political influence in Switzerland? Keystone/Gian Ehrenzeller

More than 800,000 Swiss nationals live abroad, either permanently or temporarily. They are meeting up in Switzerland for the Swiss Abroad Congress – a special event, as this year marks its 100^th edition.

A small delegation of the so-called “Fifth Switzerland” is in Lucerne this year for the Swiss Abroad Congress. Up to 400 participants are expected. The conference is all about networking, culinary delights and traditions. That said, politics also play an important role, which is made evident by a quick glance at the programmeExternal link: the political parties are trying to fly their flags through advertising and sponsorship.

More political participation

However, when it comes to political participation, the Swiss Abroad would like more action. E-voting is now possible for some of them: three cantons already introduced this electronic voting method for the federal elections in October 2023: Basel-City, St. Gallen and Thurgau.

Besides electronic voting, the overseas community would like to see the Swiss authorities make more efforts to promote participation, as the following article published in 2023 shows.

What is your opinion on the matter? Should the Swiss Abroad have more political influence in Switzerland? Vote and join the discussion on our debate platform “dialogue”:

An electorate that should not be neglected…

The population of the Swiss Abroad is growing. At the end of 2023, 813,400 Swiss nationals were living outside the country’s borders, 1.7% more than in the previous year. You can read up on it in detail in the following article:

The diaspora therefore accounts for around 11% of the Swiss population. Almost two thirds of the Swiss Abroad live in Europe: France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Spain are top destinations.

Kai Reusser / swissinfo.ch

…and with different needs

Even though they are often viewed as a bloc, they are very heterogeneous – with a wide range of reasons for emigrating, as well as different needs and situations in their adopted countries, such as pensioners in Thailand.

Opinions on whether people want to participate in Swiss politics are just as diverse as their current needs. The 100th Swiss Abroad Congress will address these issues. However, it will also take a trip down memory lane.

A look back

The idea of fostering closer ties between the Swiss Abroad and their homeland emerged in the context of the First World War through the initiative of the New Helvetic Society, which still exists today. The first meeting took place in April 1918. It marked the beginning of the annual congress that still exists today – only six of which have been cancelled, for example during the Second World War and the Covid-19 pandemic.

What do you consider to be part of Swiss identity? Answer the following questions and compare your views with those residing in Switzerland and the Swiss Abroad:

Adapted from German by Claire Micallef