Whether one is for or against Blocher is the question that now divides Switzerland: Should he stay in the government after the elections? Or is the Swiss model finished, with its principle of a coalition of all major parties across the political spectrum? Blocher's Swiss People's Party, the SVP, has plastered his face across the country, on posters that read, simply: "Vote SVP! Strengthen Blocher!" Breakdown of parties in Swiss parliament. Click to enlarge. Even his fiercest opponents, the Social Democrats, are obsessed with him. The cornerstone of their campaign for the past year has been to oust Blocher from office. Violence broke out two weeks ago in Bern, the Swiss capital, when 500 left-wing activists attacked a demonstration staged by Blocher's SVP. Images of stone-throwers, water canons and burning barricades were broadcast around the world. The uproar even attracted the attention of Switzerland's neighbors, like Germany and France, who were so used to mild Swiss election campaigns that they might have been forgiven for thinking the Swiss had no election campaigns. Although Switzerland's economy is thriving, crude issues in this election have ranged from the deportation of foreign criminals, the banning of minarets and youth violence. The main question on the minds of Switzerland's neighbors -- when it will join the European Union -- is nonexistent in this campaign; in fact there is so much resistance to EU membership among the Swiss that no party would make it a platform of its campaign. This is Blocher's work, in large part. His success on the issue of EU membership has been so complete that even his ouster from office would not change public opinion.
Whether one is for or against Blocher is the question that now divides Switzerland: Should he stay in the government after the elections? Or is the Swiss model finished, with its principle of a coalition of all major parties across the political spectrum?
Blocher's Swiss People's Party, the SVP, has plastered his face across the country, on posters that read, simply: "Vote SVP! Strengthen Blocher!"
Breakdown of parties in Swiss parliament. Click to enlarge. Even his fiercest opponents, the Social Democrats, are obsessed with him. The cornerstone of their campaign for the past year has been to oust Blocher from office.
Violence broke out two weeks ago in Bern, the Swiss capital, when 500 left-wing activists attacked a demonstration staged by Blocher's SVP. Images of stone-throwers, water canons and burning barricades were broadcast around the world. The uproar even attracted the attention of Switzerland's neighbors, like Germany and France, who were so used to mild Swiss election campaigns that they might have been forgiven for thinking the Swiss had no election campaigns.
Although Switzerland's economy is thriving, crude issues in this election have ranged from the deportation of foreign criminals, the banning of minarets and youth violence. The main question on the minds of Switzerland's neighbors -- when it will join the European Union -- is nonexistent in this campaign; in fact there is so much resistance to EU membership among the Swiss that no party would make it a platform of its campaign. This is Blocher's work, in large part. His success on the issue of EU membership has been so complete that even his ouster from office would not change public opinion.
The Swiss People's party (SVP) has run a predictably alarmist campaign to mobilise support ahead of Sunday's federal elections. But this time, the ultranationalists have had to scrape the barrel to find enough populist themes to bring out the vote.Once every four years, Switzerland's political system briefly attracts the world's attention as the SVP's provocative campaigning prompts accusations of racism and distortion, amid fears that one of Europe's most stable democracies may be lurching towards the far right.This year has been no exception. Battling as ever to "uphold Swiss values" on an aggressively anti-immigrant, law and order platform, SVP posters showing three white sheep on a Swiss cross kicking off a fourth black one were attacked as racist. This week a Zurich court ruled against the claim but the posters, having achieved their purpose, had already been withdrawn.But the SVP's tactics may prove to be less effective than in previous elections over the past 15 years.
The Swiss People's party (SVP) has run a predictably alarmist campaign to mobilise support ahead of Sunday's federal elections. But this time, the ultranationalists have had to scrape the barrel to find enough populist themes to bring out the vote.
Once every four years, Switzerland's political system briefly attracts the world's attention as the SVP's provocative campaigning prompts accusations of racism and distortion, amid fears that one of Europe's most stable democracies may be lurching towards the far right.
This year has been no exception. Battling as ever to "uphold Swiss values" on an aggressively anti-immigrant, law and order platform, SVP posters showing three white sheep on a Swiss cross kicking off a fourth black one were attacked as racist. This week a Zurich court ruled against the claim but the posters, having achieved their purpose, had already been withdrawn.
But the SVP's tactics may prove to be less effective than in previous elections over the past 15 years.
