Photo: courtesy of the Swiss canton of Glarus
In many countries, the concern is to get away from Presidents for life, from power-hungry politicians changing constitutions to allow incumbents to have another term, bending the rules to stay in power. Here in Switzerland, the government ministers take it in turns to act as President. So probably a pretty shocking percentage of Swiss would not be able to tell who this year’s President is!
The President’s responsibilities and powers mainly involve chairing the meetings of the coalition government that includes all the largest parties represented in Parliament, and welcoming foreign heads of state and dignitaries, who otherwise might find it hard to understand shaking hands with all seven of the wise men and women. And the world, which rightly shows little interest in the strange ways of a small country in the middle of Europe, has shown some interest in last month’s election of two new ministers being elected by the parliament, giving Switzerland for the first time a majority of women in the government. Switzerland now has a woman President, and both houses of parliament are chaired by women. So there’s feminist rejoicing (and I count myself a feminist) in a country where women only got the right to vote in Federal elections in 1971.
This form of voting is still in use in smaller states in Switzerland. Read more: http://tinyurl.com/2bawqvy
But Switzerland is perhaps the only country where the electors (all men) voted to give them that right, and Switzerland is also one of the last countries to join the United Nations. On September 10, 2002, she became a full member after a closely contested referendum six months earlier (Swiss voters had rejected membership by a 3-to-1 margin in 1986). The 2002 vote made Switzerland the first country to join based on a popular vote. All signs of a country that takes democracy pretty seriously.
One of the reasons many Swiss express reticence about joining the European Union, which now surrounds Switzerland on all sides, and is by far her largest economic partner, is precisely the loss of such democratic rights. Many unthinking and patriotic democrats take for granted that their system is best. But perhaps it would be better if we could share experiences, and learn from each other’s best practice. Electoral boundaries in the US make very little sense outside a world of gerrymandered partisan advantage. Surely such decisions should be decided on more objective, practical grounds.
But I’m not holding up Switzerland as perfection. Too much democracy is not a good thing. On two highly emotional questions, the Swiss people have now voted in favour of new laws that are almost certainly unconstitutional (life internment for convicted sex offenders and banning the building of minarets). And when important decisions are taken by narrow majorities on a 30% turnout, how democratic is that?
The report-cards of all the democracies should read ‘Could do better.’ As that wise old realist Winston Churchill said: ‘Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.’
So glad to receive Tikkun by Email. And so glad Rabbi Lerner’s health is no longer life-threatening — may he live to celebrate his 105th birthday like my friend Trilby in San Francisco.
Also, like the way I can forward interesting articles to more than one friend at a time. You should teach that to the New York Times.
Shalom and best wishes for a long continuance of Tikkun!