Direct democracy the key to Swiss calm

RACIST sheep and rabid ravens picking at a map of Switzerland propelled the country and its referenda into the spotlight worldwide in recent years.

But behind these headline grabbing activities of the Swiss People’s Party with its no to the EU, no to foreigners and no to tax, lies a very old tradition of direct democracy.

The vote this weekend on continuing to allow EU citizens to work in Switzerland and include new members Bulgaria and Romania was the third time they dealt with the issue — and they are likely to vote on it several more times in the future.

Despite the xenophobic posters and a succession of untruths from opponents, there was little of the hysteria that usually surrounds referenda in Ireland. But they have direct democracy on a permanent basis, and not occasionally as one observer noted.

When the big questions come up, like this weekend’s vote on free movement of workers, the 26 cantons and multiple municipalities add in questions of their own, such as the need for new street lighting in a town or an extra year in kindergarten.

They have kept the turnout close to 50% by making it as convenient as possible to vote keeping polling stations open from Friday to Sunday noon, allowing postal votes which now account for the majority of those cast and in some areas people can vote by internet or on mobile phones.

The Swiss have a highly structured method of making sure people understand the issues, which are often very complex and technical because they are not EU members, but negotiate dozens of agreements and usually put them to a vote before they are incorporated into Swiss law. The consultation, in fact, begins when the civil servants and politicians begin to explore an issue, such as free trade in agriculture. “We have a whole machinery that kicks into action and makes contact with all groups from consumers and farmers to legal specialists and that we use as a sounding board and we have their support before we undertake anything”, explained one official.

“We always have to keep in the back of our mind that this may go to a referendum,” said Christa Markwalder, a member of the national council, similar to the Dáil.

Anybody with 50,000 signatures, collected inside 100 days can order a referendum on any topic.

The five parties that share the seven ministries that make up the federal government had agreed that they would renew their free movement treaty with the EU and extend it to include new members Bulgaria and Romania. But the youth group of the largest party, the Swiss People’s Party, collected over 51,000 signatures and the party rowed in with them.

The government committee of legal and language experts drew up the usual information booklet setting out the factual aspects of the issue, the second chapter was given over to argument from the no camp and the final section set out the legal clauses.

The man in charge of communication, former radio journalist Thomas Abegglen, said the language experts ensure it’s easily understood and adds: “The government must not try to manipulate the people, but convince them it’s a good decision”.

Their analysis carried out after every referendum showed that in issues such as UN membership and abortion about 60% said they depended on the booklet to make up their minds, while on highly complex issues such as changes in the insurance sector the number was a record 95%.

Alexandra Perina-Werz, secretary general of the Christian Democrats — one of the larger parties — that favoured a yes, said they keep a close eye on public opinion.

Luzi Stamm, a member of the Swiss People’s Party and the National Council, defended their poster campaign that features three black ravens picking at a map of Switzerland. He insists it, and their previous poster showing a black sheep being kicked out of Switzerland, is not racist or inciting people. “It is to provoke. It is our only possibility nowadays of getting attention in the media,” he says.

He and his party want the country shut down to foreigners, especially those from poorer countries. “For richer countries free movement is an obvious disadvantage,” he says and argues that if they grant it to Bulgaria and Romania now, the next step will be the Balkans.

They say that Ireland voted no so they could re negotiate the Lisbon Treaty and Switzerland should renegotiate the free movement with the EU.