A more democratic “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”
20.10.2023 – Marc Lettau
The elections to the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), the “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”, are to proceed in line with contemporary, democratic principles in future. A working group is busy bringing in the required changes by 2025. The group’s steering committee advised on the next steps in August 2023 in St. Gallen.
In the words of Noel Frei of the democratic CSA elections steering committee, they are working “out of pride for our country and its democratic system”. This system based on democratic principles allows people to continue initiating referendums. The “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”, the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), only partially meets these requirements, says Frei: elections to the CSA have not been transparent in all countries for a long time, nor have they met democratic principles. Moreover, the CSA in no way represents all Swiss Abroad, and the portion of them it does represent is too small.
This is nothing that hasn’t been said before. However, the working group has resolved to change the situation and set an ambitious goal: all countries and constituencies are to have the technology for a direct election and the required instructions in time for the 2025 CSA elections. That includes evaluating a suitable e-voting tool. The rationale is to give as many Swiss Abroad as possible the right to vote in the CSA elections. The prospect of initiating such a major improvement really motivates the working group, says Frei.
The project is currently starting to take shape. The information materials are being created and the announcement of the project is imminent. The next phase – from early 2024 – involves the technical implementation, testing the new tool and the specific preparation of the 2025 CSA elections.
According to Frei, the project will increase the significance and legitimacy of the Council of the Swiss Abroad. He mentioned that this is not the first attempt to improve the election procedure. However, now, calls for change are more strident than ever: “Pretty much the whole CSA have recognised the signs of the times.” The signs of the times – and the expectations of the authorities: the FDFA expressly supports the efforts to improve the democratic legitimacy of the CSA. This official support is most welcome, says the working group: “An improved electoral system is the only way to ensure the CSA will be even more legitimate as a voice of the fifth Switzerland,” says Frei.
Working group e-mail “Demokratische ASR-Wahlen”: workgroup.osa@outlook.com
Comments
Comments :
La plus part des Suisses de l’étranger ont bien réussit leur vie.
Ils méritent donc d’être élus comme déléguées pour donner leur opinion au Parlement suisse.
Malheureusement depuis toujours, on élit les personnes qui font partis d’associations. Beaucoup entre elles font que des excursions, vont au restaurant ou au musée. De temps à autre, on invite un conférencier plutôt amateur qui fait le tour au sein des clubs suisses.
Bref, ce sont souvent les mêmes personnes qui se présentent pour être délégué(e)s. Naturellement pour avoir plus de pouvoir (apparemment). La plupart entre eux sont largement à la retraite et barre la route aux autres.
On apprend qu’il y a des gens qui se font élire depuis 30 ans. Quel orgueil mal placé!
Je demande aux habitants suisses à l’étranger de me joindre dans mon idée que tous les Suisses à l’étranger, qui ne font pas parti d’une association suisse, peuvent se faire élire.