Spurn thy neighbour: Direct democracy and Swiss isolationism

West European Politics

Volumn 20, Issue 3, 1997, Pages 185-211

  Kobach, Kris W ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM; ISOLATIONALISM; REGIONAL POLITICS;

SWITZERLAND;

EID: 0031428552     PISSN: 01402382     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/01402389708425210     Document Type: Article

References (52)

1. I use the phrase 'direct democracy' to mean 'referendums and initiatives' even though, technically, the Swiss devices exemplify semi-direct democracy. This practice of referring to referendums and initiatives as 'direct democracy' is fairly common. Some writers also use the term to denote the recall device and primary elections. My use of the term is not intended to encompass these devices.
2. I do not include among these proposals recent referendums concerning immigration and asylum laws. Although the receptivity of a country to immigration may in some instances reflect attitudes towards co-operation and integration with the international community, there is no necessary correlation Indeed, it is not uncommon for those European countries most favorably disposed to international integration to embrace policies of tight immigration control.
3. For a description of the various types of referendums that are used in Switzerland, see Kris W. Kobach, The Referendum: Direct Democracy in Switzerland (Aldershot: Dartmouth 1993) pp.41-5.
4. Curiously, the decision was not accorded the same import when Switzerland withdrew from the disintegrating League of Nations years later; the government pulled out without submitting the issue to any popular vote whatsoever. The confusion generated by these contradictory approaches led eventually to the creation of Switzerland's treaty referendum procedures in the mid-1970s.
5. Switzerland would, however, be required to participate in any economic sanctions applied by the League.
6. This precept of neutrality had been established in the Hague agreement of 1907.
7. Although I describe this divergence as a linguistic cleavage, it must be recognised that it possesses cultural dimensions as well. Both stark and subtle cultural differences parallel the linguistic lines that divide Switzerland into German-speaking, French-speaking, Italian-speaking and Romansch-speaking sections. The language spoken is merely a signifier of deeper dissimilarities.
8. C. L. Robertson, 'Switzerland Rejects the United Nations', Fletcher Forum 12 (Summer 1988) p.315.
9. The first Federal Council report on UN membership was completed in June 1969. A second report followed in Nov. 1971.
10. These were an Aug. 1975 report of a consultative commission to the Federal Council and the third and final report of the Federal Council in June 1977.
11. Immediately after the Arab-Israeli War of 1973 and the subsequent oil shock, support for UN membership was at a relatively low 32 per cent. However, following the Camp David accord between Israel and Egypt in 1979, support reached a high of 60 per cent.
12. Of the 61 Nationalrat members on the committee, 21 were in the FDP, 21 were in the SPS, 13 were in the CVP, 2 were in the SVP, and 4 were in the LdU.
13. Max Ambuhl (Secretary of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Schweiz - UNO and former Vice-President of Europa Union), interview by author, Bern, Switzerland, 3 Aug. 1990.
14. Analyse der eidgenössischen Abstimmung vom 16. März 1986, VOX Survey No. 29 (Bern: Forschungszentrum für Schweizerische Politik and the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Praktische Sozialforschung 1986) p.3.
15. In October 1952, a law regarding antiaircraft shelters was rejected in a facultative referendum (a referendum triggered by petition and regarding normal legislation) by 84.5 per cent of the voters.
16. The 18 FDP parties voting against the government were: Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Zug. Fribourg, Solothurn, St. Gallen, Graubünden, Aargau, Thurgau, Vaud, Obwalden, Nidwaiden, Schaffhausen, Appenzell-Outer Rhodes, Neuchâtel and Geneva. Analyse der eidgenässischen Abstimmung vom 16. März 1986 (note 14) p.12.
17. The 13 CVP parties voting against the government were: Lucerne, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Schaffhausen, Appenzell-Outer Rhodes, St Gallen, Graubünden, Valais, and Vaud. 'Parolen Zur Uno-Abstimmung', Neue Zürcher Zeitung 11 March 1986.
18. 'Aktionskomitee für einen Uno-Beitritt gegründet', ibid. 16 April 1985.
19. Ambuhl, interview (note 13).
20. 'Die Gegner des Uno-Beitritts', Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 7 Feb. 1986.
21. Analyse der eidgenässischen Abstimmung vom 16. März 1986 (note 14) p.10.
22. Kris W. Kobach, 'Switzerland', in David Butler and Austin Ranney (eds.) Referendums Around the World: The Growing Use of Direct Democracy (Washington: AEI 1994) p.136.
23. In addition, there were two other categories of voters in this survey: 'occasional' voters, who take part only selectively; and 'nonvoters', who take part rarely or not at all. Analyse (note 14) p.6. See also Kobach (note 3) p.79-86.
24. Ease of reaching a decision also correlates consistently with higher participation levels. In this instance, a relatively high 70 per cent of voters were able to make up their minds 'easily'. Analyse (note 14) p.8.
25. Of the voters identifying with the FDP, 69 per cent voted against membership. For the SVP and CVP, the figures were 79 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively.
26. Analyse (note 14) p.10.
27. See 'To Join the World?', The Economist, 9 May 1992, p.48.
28. 'Swiss Vote for World Bank Link', The Times, 18 May 1992, p.9.
29. 'Time to Join the Others?', The Economist 28 Nov. 1992, p.51.
30. Hanspeter Knesi et al., Analyse der eidgenössischen Abstimmung vom 6. Dezember 1992, VOX Survey No.47 (Bern: Forschungsinstitut der Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung 1993) p.24.
31. Ibid. p.34.
32. Most of the lorries were of German or Italian origin. Logistics: Switzerland Vote for Truck Ban, Economist Intelligence Unit, 28 Feb 1994.
33. 'Swiss Voters Back Alps Truck Ban,' Facts on File World News Digest, 10 March 1994 p.166 F3.
34. The others were: a 1949 initiative concerning referendums on 'urgent' legislation, a 1982 initiative to control prices, a 1987 initiative to halt the construction of the Rothenturm military base on scenic moorlands, a 1990 initiative imposing a ten-year moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants, and a 1993 initiative to establish 1 Aug. as a national holiday celebrating the creation of Switzerland See Kobach (note 22) pp.140-51.
35. The linguistic breakdown of Switzerland is as follows: 75 per cent German, 20 per cent French, 4 per cent Italian, and 1 per cent Romansch.
36. The term 'magic formula' refers to the distribution of seats on the seven-member Federal Council among the four largest Swiss political parties (the FDP, the CVP, the SPS, and the SVP) according to a 2:2:2:1 ratio. This arrangement has been in effect continuously since 1959.
37. Kriesi et al. (note 30) p.11.
38. Jean Pascal Delamuraz, televised interview in Lausanne, Switzerland on Zum 1 Aug., DRS, 31 July 1989.
39. Kriesi et al. (note 30) p.50.
40. Ibid., pp.36.
41. Analyse (note 14) p.23.
42. Kriesi et al. (note 30) p.34.
43. Mitya New, 'Swiss Government Struggles to Regain People's Trust', Reuters World Service, 31 July 1994.
44. David Christian-Edwards, 'Swiss Government Admits Popular "Mistrust" After Vote', Reuters European Community Report, 13 June 1994.
45. In only two of the more than 400 federal referendums since 1866 has the government been able to garner more than 90 per cent support for its position. The highest scorer was a 1977 referendum on a statute concerning the free exercise of political rights, which won a 93.7 per cent majority. The second highest was a constitutional amendment for the protection of the environment in 1971, which met with 92.7 per cent approval.
46. The six negative results on the ballot of 1 April 1990 in the wake of the Fischenskanda demonstrated this potential vividly. The Fischenskandal involved the Jan 1990 revelation that the political branch of the Bundesanwaltschaft (federal police) had compiled secret Cold War-style files on 900,000 Swiss citizens, resident aliens, and organisations. The resulting public fury was arguably manifest in the rejection of all six measures on the April 1990 ballot, including two fairly uncontroversial federal laws.
47. Kriesi et al. (note 30) p.34.
48. Of course, these groups may overlap one another significantly.
49. 'EG - feindlich, fair, unflexibel, Teuer', Politik und Wirtschaft, 14 Feb.-13 March 1990, p.21.
50. 'New Swiss Parliament Confronted by EC issue', The Independent, 22 Oct. 1991, p.12.
51. 'Majority of Swiss People Favor Joining EU: Poll', AFX News, 10 Nov. 1994.
52. Kriesi et al. (note 30) p.15.