Huh? What is so special about Switzerland that makes its voting public not behave tribally? Or is that not what you're saying? Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?
In each vote I think groups (especially winners/losers) matter as much in Switzerland as in other places. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
A committment to being Swiss, which is an ethncity that transcends the languages and culture's of Switzerland's 4 component peoples (German, French, Italian, and Romansch).
Now there was a time when the cantons were quite a bit more tribal, but I have to say the the Sonderbundeskrieg is quite possible the most civil civil war ever to occur in Europe.
Remember, on the issue of how Switzerland stayed together, that until 1848 it was more of a Confederation of the Helvetic states in actual practice than in just name, as now. And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg
