Switzerland’s current affairs don’t make the global radar very often. Rather, Switzerland has an enduring presence in the world’s collective conscious of peace, neutrality, beauty, chocolate and skis. Today, though, the Swiss go to the polls for the national elections. What has happened in the lead-up to those elections, and who will most probably be in (even more) power tomorrow has the potential to significantly erode Switzerland’s squeaky clean image.
The right-wing SVP’s campaign with white sheep kicking a black sheep out of the country, the billboards with “Stop the foreigners” and the growing xenophobia of the population are drawing the attention of the world’s media. They are surprised, a little taken aback that such a wonderful place could be dangerously drifting further to extremism and, it seems, a little delighted that Switzerland has got problems just like everyone else.
The British media picked up on things first, with their “Europe’s Heart of Darkness” articles, and now the New York Times is covering the story. They’re portraying a country that is concerned, and a little surprised itself, at what is happening:
The poster (of the white and black sheep) is disgusting, unacceptable,” Micheline Calmy-Rey, the current president of Switzerland said in an interview. “It stigmatizes others and plays on the fear factor, and in that sense it’s dangerous. The campaign does not correspond to Switzerland’s multicultural openness to the world. And I am asking all Swiss who do not agree with its message to have the courage to speak out.
As foreigners ourselves, and among the 20% of Swiss residents who are not citizens, the elections are being watched with keen interest.
