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Racism loses in Switzerland

by IdiotSavant Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 03:29:44 AM EST

Over in Switzerland, the racist "People's Party" tried to have a Brexit-style referendum on ending freedom of movement with the EU, so they could stop the "flood" of foreigners. But the Swiss people said No:

Swiss voters have resoundingly rejected an attempt to tear up the country's agreement with the EU on the free movement of people, in a referendum that echoed the Brexit vote.

The largest party in the Swiss parliament, the rightwing, anti-immigration Swiss People's party (SVP), called the referendum, arguing that the country must be allowed to set its own limit on the number of foreigners coming in to work.

However, the initiative - opposed by government, parliament, unions, employer organisations and all other political parties because it would put Switzerland's overall relations with the EU in jeopardy - was rejected by 61.7% of voters, final results showed.

The EU had made it clear that freedom of movement was indivisible from the rest of their relationship, and that ending it would also mean ending trade, research and transport treaties, just as for the UK. Swiss voters clearly value those. And hopefully, it'll mean a fall in the fortunes of the People's Party as well.

Frontpaged - Frank Schnittger


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I wonder would the Brexit vote have gone the same way if voters had been told that Brexit would mean an end to any special trading relationship with the EU. If I recall, they were told that securing trading terms similar to the status quo would be "the easiest trade deal in history" and that they could "have their cake and eat it" because "the EU needs us more than the UK needs them".

At least the Swiss know how to run referenda and are not averse to holding them again if the voters decide to change their minds as more information comes to light. It seems the "UK Constitution" such as it is, does not accord voters that right. The latest opinion polls show a 10% margin of support for Remain and that leaving the EU was the wrong choice.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 10:53:15 AM EST
Voters were actually told that leaving the Single Market would be "madness" and there were absolutely no plans to do so - dear me no, don't even consider that as a possibility.

Single Market Lies

The entire campaign was won on funding fraud, illegal voter manipulation on social media, and outright lies.

Brexit would not be happening if voters hadn't been lied to.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 01:00:02 PM EST
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Leaving the Single Market only became an option because the EU wouldn't bend on Free Movement, and leaving the Custom's Union became a requirement when they realised they couldn't do their own trade deals from within it. They thought they could force the EU to compromise on both of these, and when the EU didn't, they threatened to leave - initially for most, as a negotiating tactic - and then as an ideological position. It took a long time for the "have cake and eat it" mentality to wear off, and it still, hasn't, quite.

But even I didn't think they would renege on the Withdrawal Agreement within months of having  won a general election on that basis and having ratified it after the election. And now  they expect the EU to negotiate another agreement? That takes real Chutzpah.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 03:59:35 PM EST
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In fact the UK had the most generous - read unmanaged and unmonitored - FoM terms in the entire EU. This was deliberate policy, because the UK has consistently - for centuries now - played the same game: import cheap foreign labour to drive down the wages of British workers, and then claim there's a flood of immigrants which British workers needs to be protected from.

But I think we've gone past politics now, into a world of genuine delusion and mental illness.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2020 at 08:48:02 PM EST
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Mental illness can be a communicable social disease it seems, especially when governments sufficiently fuck with the electorate.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2020 at 03:06:57 AM EST
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One's instinctive reaction is "ah the Swiss are not as dumb as Brits"

but that's fundamentally wrong. Actually, the Swiss know how to do referenda (pose a precise question which can implemented in law). And they do it all the time.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 10:54:42 AM EST
It's almost like the Swiss assume a referendum will have consequences and thus it should be designed in a way those consequences are well defined and understood.
by pelgus on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 11:01:16 AM EST
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by Cat on Mon Sep 28th, 2020 at 02:47:23 PM EST
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Sounds like Donald Trump. Bad enough when tony Blair was Clinton's poodle. But to become Donald Trump's poodle ...
by StillInTheWilderness on Tue Sep 29th, 2020 at 03:17:22 AM EST
And now the poodle's master has been struck with COVID. If Trump looses in November and Biden becomes POTUS in January what then? There is not that much left of The Commonwealth.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2020 at 03:04:18 AM EST
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