Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Forever Neutral: A
Nation Apart
Since the end of WWII, Switzerland has en-
joyed an uninterrupted period of economic, so-
cial and political stability - thanks, in predict-
able Swiss fashion, to the neutrality which saw
it forge ahead from an already powerful com-
mercial, financial and industrial base while the
rest of Europe was still picking up and rebuild-
ing the broken pieces from the war. Zürich de-
veloped as an international banking and insur-
ance centre, and the World Health Organization
and a stash of other international bodies set up
headquarters in Geneva. To preserve its much-
vaunted neutrality, however, Switzerland opted
to remain outside the UN (although Geneva has
hosted its second-largest seat after the main
New York headquarters from the outset) and,
more recently, the European Union.
A hefty swing to the conservative right in the
2003 parliamentary elections served to further
enhance Switzerland's standing as a nation
staunchly apart. In 2006, the anti-EU, anti-im-
migration Swiss People's Party (SVP) called for
the toughening up of immigration and political
asylum laws; the policies were passed with an overwhelming majority at national referen-
dum. Then there was the rumpus over its bid to ban building new minarets for Muslim
calls to prayer - an idea that aroused much anger internationally, but was approved by the
constitution after 57.7% of voters said yes to the ban in a national referendum. During the
campaign, the SVP published anti-immigrant posters featuring three white sheep kicking
one black sheep off the striking white cross of the Swiss flag.
In spite of the SVP's tough conservative line, there have been concrete signs that
Switzerland is opening up to the wider world. The country became the 190th member of
the UN in 2002 (a referendum on the issue had last been defeated in 1986) and three years
later it voted to join Europe's passport-free travel zone, Schengen (finally completing the
process at the end of 2008). In another referendum the same year, the Swiss narrowly
History
Museums
1 STIFTSBIBLIOTHEK, ST GALLEN
2 SCHWEIZERISCHES LANDESMUSEUM,
ZÜRICH
3 HISTORISCHES MUSEUM, ARBON
4 CHÂTEAU DE CHILLON, MONTREUX
5 AUGUSTA RAURICA, KAISERAUGST
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