Swiss youth high on peace

Thousands of students took to the streets in Geneva on Thursday to protest the war. Keystone

The war in Iraq appears to have triggered the highest level of political activism among young Swiss in a generation.

Political scientists say the willingness of people under 25 to protest marks a sea change in their political attitudes.

“It is a spontaneous movement of the politically aware,” said Michelle Beyeler, a political scientist at the University of Zurich.

On Thursday, news that the war in Iraq had finally started saw around 40,000 young people take to the streets in Zurich, Geneva and Bern.

The average age of participants at the rapidly organised demonstrations mirrored the big national anti-war rally in Bern on February 15, at which least 15,000 participants were under 25-years-old.

“Two thirds of those young people [when surveyed]… described themselves as very interested in politics and that they had already participated in other demonstrations,” Beyeler told swissinfo.

“School students have shown themselves willing to be mobilised by anti-war movements in various [Swiss] cities,” she added.

But the apparent willingness of Swiss youth to make a political statement by protesting may not be because of any newfound enthusiasm for politics.

Not superficial

Nico Lutz, from the pacifist group Switzerland without an Army, believes young people are more likely to protest than in the past – but are not necessarily becoming more politicised.

None-the-less, Lutz said the engagement is not superficial.

“It’s not a movement tied to any organisation,” Lutz said. “However, it is oriented towards political issues.”

Cyril Myzrahi, a spokeswoman for the youth wing of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, said young people are genuinely driven by the urge for peace.

“The current mobilisations are undeniably taking place outside the spheres of traditional parties,” Myzrahi said.

Alliance

Lutz said the recent protests had underscored a wider trend among activists’ groups.

“What has just happened, is that the two big movements – the anti-globalisation movement and the peace-movement – have fused,” he said.

If Lutz and Swiss political analysts are correct, 2003 could turn into a year of big demonstrations for Switzerland.

Already, big anti-war protests are being planned, above all on June 3, during the G-8 summit in Evian.

swissinfo, Elvira Wiegers and Isabelle Eichenberger (translated by Jacob Greber)

In brief

The war in Iraq appears to have triggered more political activism among young Swiss people.

On Thursday, around 40,000 young people took to the streets of Zurich, Geneva and Bern.

Experts say the mobilisation of young people is spontaneous and outside the spheres of traditional parties.

Activists say the war has triggered a fusion between anti-globalisation and peace movements.