SWISS REVIEW The magazine for the Swiss Abroad June 2015 The Swiss National Bank’s monetary policy is highly contentious Everyone is talking about integration but nobody really knows how it works Women’s football – scant regard paid to the Swiss ladies playing at the World Cup 61 11 willkommä Grüezi Bewirtschaftung | Vermarktung – Ihr Partner in der Ostschweiz Damit Sie sich um nichts kümmern müssen, sorgen wir uns umfassend um Ihre Liegenschaft in der Heimat. EGELI immobilien EGELI Immobilien AG Teufener Strasse 36 | 9000 St.Gallen | 071 221 11 77 | egeli-immobilien.ch Mitglied der EGELI Gruppe | egeli.com Swiss Solidarity SWITZERLAND’S HUMANITARIAN VISITING CARD Information at www.glueckskette.ch or www.swiss-solidarity.org. MIET-PW, MIET-Camper, MIET-4x4 JAHR GRATIS! Ilgauto ag, 8500 Frauenfeld JETZT EIN 200 Autos, 40 Modelle, ab Fr. 500.-/MT inkl. 2000Km PLATZIERE DEIN ANGEBOT (UNTERKUNFT, RESTAURANT U.V.M) AUF HALLOSWISS.CH UND FREU DICH AUF SCHWEIZER GÄSTE Tel. 0041 52 7203060/www.ilgauto.ch International Health Insurance BasedonSwiss standards Lifelong private medical treatment Worldwidefreechoiceofdoctorand clinic Furthermore: Internationaldisabilityinsurance Internationalpension fund More than Individual solutions for: just economics Swisscitizensabroad Expatriates of allnationalities Undergraduate Shorttermassignees/Localhire courses available in English The University of St. Gallen (HSG) is one of Europe’s Contactus! leading business universities and is characterised by its integrative education. We underline our international Tel: +41 (0)43399 89 89 outlook by offering bilingual undergraduate programmes (German and English). www.asn.ch When you are in Switzerland, we would be glad to give you a guided tour of the campus and answer your questions ASN,Advisory Services Network AG about degree courses in St. Gallen. Bederstrasse 51 CH-8027 Zürich University of St.Gallen (HSG) | +41 (0)71 224 37 02 [email protected] [email protected] | www.unisg.ch Contents Editorial 3 Forecasts in election year 4 Mailbag Switzerland’s political analysts were engaged in in- tense activity on 12 April. The elections in the canton 6 Images of Zurich caused a buzz of excitement from Roman- Samir and his Iraqi family shorN to Geneva. Everyone wanted to know whether the results in Zurich would provide some indication 8 Focus of the outcome of the parliamentary elections in IntegratioN – an attempt at explanatioN October. So what did the experts say? Opinion was divided, but they all eloquently explained their stand- 12 Column points. In actual fact, nobody knows. What is evident is that the Radical Free Georg Kohler on election campaign Democratic Party (FDP), once a party that formed and underpinned the state, rhetoric has recovered after being in decline for almost 20 years. That is a pleasing de- velopment primarily because in the complex discussions currently taking 13 Politics place over Switzerland’s relations with its neighbours in Europe, a strong The strong Swiss franc – a blessing or a conservative voice is needed, which, in contrast to the Swiss People’s Party curse? (SVP), does not regard the EU as an enemy but instead as a close neighbour and important trade partner with whose destiny Switzerland is closely en- 16 Interview twined. Fostering the image of the EU as an enemy and nationalistic self-right- Ambassador Guldimann’s political eousness will certainly not bring any benefits for Switzerland. ambitions From page 17 onwards, editor Jürg Müller reports on the current state of affairs concerning the implementatioN of the initiative on mass immi- 17 Politics gratioN and the extremely difficult situatioN facing the Federal Council. The ImmigratioN policy – the Federal upshot of his analysis, which is clearly a snapshot, is that the Federal Coun- Council’s complex task cil is attempting to fit a square peg into a round hole. The “focus” article in this issue tackles the topic of integration. Integra- 19 Business tion is obviously closely related to immigratioN and will therefore be a re- Camille Bloch’s ambitious plans current topic during election year. But what exactly does integratioN mean? How does someone integrate into a society? Or is it more a question of be- 22 Sport ing integrated by a society? And is everyone expected to demonstrate com- The derided female footballers mitment to integratioN to the same extent? Our editor Marc Lettau has been searching for answers. His article appears on page 8. 24 OSA news To return briefly to the elections in Zurich, only just over 30 % of the electorate turned out to vote on 12 April. This is disappointing because it 27 Notes from Parliament means a minority decided. With regard to the national election, I wish to remind you that as Swiss citizens abroad you have to be registered on the 30 Little gems and echo electoral roll in order to take part in the election. A registration form caN be found on page 25. BARBARA ENGEL, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SWISS REVIEW The magazine for the Swiss Abroad June 2015 Cover photo: The Swiss flag in front of the euro symbol at the European Central Bank (ECB). Taken in The Swiss National Bank’s monetary policy is highly contentious Everyone is talking about integration but Frankfurt am Main nobody really knows how it works Women’s football – scant regard paid to the Swiss ladies playing at the World Cup Photo: © Keystone Martin Ruetschi Swiss Review / June 2015 / No.3 4 Mailbag Fair and balanced, please cians are playing with fire. Perhaps one day the cleaners, refuse col- Dear Editor, why do I feel that Swiss Review tends to provide fairly lectors, drivers and workers will say enough is enough. What will hap- liberal “reportage”, when it should be informing us Swiss Abroad of peN then? the ongoing political affairs within Switzerland in a fair and balanced FELIX ROSHARDT, GMUNDEN, AUSTRIA way? There has not been one issue of “Swiss Review” that has looked at conservative ideology even in a rudimentary way. Most of the coun- Keep up the good work tries surrounding Switzerland have a liberal or socialist form of gov- A big thank-you for the latest editioN of “Swiss Review”, which is an ernment. Could it be that the average Swiss leans more to the right extremely interesting read. While your work is certainly not always than the left in their political thinking and that for that reason the easy in light of the questions and topics that have to be addressed, I country has long been a haveN of stability and prosperity? I ask you was nonetheless highly impressed by the latest issue. Keep up the good to consider that when Switzerland’s political views are commented work. on by “Swiss Review” it is done with fairness and balance. ADRIAN K. H. KESSLER, PENANG, MALAYSIA HANSJÖRG FRICK, CANADA Equal rights for everyone Who do the politicians think about? The Swiss remain citizens of the confederatioN even when living In your editorial “No interest in the people” you hit the nail right on abroad. It is therefore right that the Swiss Abroad should be repre- the head. That is exactly how I see the political scene in Switzerland. sented in Parliament. It is inconceivable for ten percent of the Swiss There are so many important issues to address. But, like everywhere population not to be granted equal rights by the government. in the world, politicians think firstly of themselves, then of their par- MAURO MATTIOLI, FRANCE ties, then of the major companies and industry and then maybe – but really only maybe – of the ordinary people who go to work day after Am I dreaming? day, cleaN the streets, dispose of refuse and drive people to work, etc. Dear Madam, Reading your article makes me think I must be dream- That is the reality of the situatioN we currently live in. But the politi- ing! Have you really considered the problems experienced by those A 27th Canton for the Swiss Abroad 746000 Swiss citizens live abroad. If they formed a canton, it would be the fourth largest by population. Does „Fifth Switzerland“ make up the 27th canton of the Swiss Confederation? Do Swiss living abroad need to be represented in the parliament? > What do you think? > Share your opinion at: You can also take part in the discussions at SwissCommunity.org. Register now for free and connect with the world at: www.swisscommunity.org SwissCommunity.org is a network set up by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) SwissCommunity-Partner Swiss Review / June 2015 / No.3 Mailbag Books 5 living in the EU? The loss of civil liberties owing to the submission of Surviving the winter states to European directives, the abandonment of sovereignty and an economic slump. I live in France and will not go into the problems in two senses associated with migration. I caN only say that voting no longer makes much sense. The party system distorts everything it seeks to organ- ise. While you do not like direct democracy much, it is nevertheless the people’s weapon. If the Swiss people think wrongly, you and your What do you do if you find yourself in Berlin party friends believe they have to be changed. Continuing to call this at the end of 1944 where military collapse is democracy is illogical to say the least. imminent and the only thing you want is to VÉRONIQUE D’ACORSI-DECAILLET, FRANCE save your owN skin? The Swiss writer Charles Lewinsky has created an outstanding tragic, I would like to see better representation comedic novel out of this apocalyptic mood. A I am a Swiss citizeN abroad and work in the UK. I do not belong to a polit- team from the film company UFA is commis- ical party, I vote regularly and keep myself informed about Swiss affairs.