Volksabstimmung zwingt die Regierung zum Ausbau des Schweizer Sozialstaats -

Die 13. Monatsrente wird kommen

Die Schweizer Wählerinnen und Wähler haben am vergangenen Sonntag, den 03. März, über zwei Volksinitiativen abgestimmt. Dabei hat das linke Lager mit ihrer Vorlage für eine 13. AHV-Rente einen bemerkenswert Sieg eingefahren und 58,2% der Ja-Stimmen erhalten. Die Vorlage der Jungfreisinnigen (FDP) über eine Koppelung des Renteneintrittsalters an die durchschnittliche Lebenserwartung wurde dagegen mit 74,7% der Stimmen abgeschmettert. Die klaren Wahlergebnisse zwingen die Regierung nun zum schnellen Handeln, da die Frage nach der Finanzierung der 13. Monatsrente nicht geklärt ist.

Ministerialerklärung in der Verlängerung

Ergebnisse und Einschätzungen der 13. Ministerkonferenz der Welthandelsorganisation (WTO)

Die "Genfer Depesche" geht auf Vorgänge in den Genfer multilateralen Organisationen zu einem aktuellen Thema ein. Dieses Mal steht die 13. Ministerkonferenz der Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) im Fokus, die vom 26. Februar bis zum 01. März in Abu Dhabi, in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten, stattfand.

The E-Commerce Moratorium: 404 Not Found

The "Geneva Telegram" explores events in Geneva-based multilateral organizations on a current topic. This time, we focus on the E-Commerce negotiations ahead of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, which will take place from 26-29 February in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The 154th Meeting of the WHO Executive Board

The "Geneva Telegram" explores events in Geneva-based multilateral organizations on a current topic. This time, we focus on the 154th meeting of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO), which met in Geneva from 22 to 27 January 2024.

Significant progress was made at the 154th meeting of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO). A decisive milestone was the design of the WHO strategy for the period 2025-2028, which will be submitted to the World Health Assembly (WHA) for approval in May. Member states signalled broad support for the comprehensive plan of the first round of investment, which is supposed to take place in November 2024. This was a crucial step for sustainable financing and strengthening of the WHO. The session comprehensively covered health priorities, including universal health coverage, noncommunicable diseases, immunization, maternal and child health, neglected tropical diseases, antibiotic resistance, polio, emergencies, and health and peace. Progress has also been made on organisational and governance reform.

Geneva Barometer

Developments among Geneva-based international organisations from October to December 2023

The ‘Geneva Barometer’ takes an occasional look at selected developments among international organizations based in Geneva.

"The Most Important Document of the Century"

75 Years Universal Declaration of Human Rights

In 1948, just a few years after the end of the Second World War, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a visionary document that enabled humanity to tell its story anew. Since 1948, the Declaration has inspired numerous international legal norms. It has served and continues to serve as a source for political movements that strive for coexistence in freedom and respect for the rights of all individuals.

The Art of Crisis Management

The Pandemic Agreement – An Opportunity for Health for all

The pandemic agreement responds to global coordination deficits during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to improve preparedness for future pandemics by promoting cooperation without jeopardizing national sovereignty. However, national dissatisfaction could have a negative impact on the negotiations. Fears that national sovereignty or the protection of human rights could be undermined by the pandemic agreement or the World Health Organization (WHO) are unfounded, as national legislative and decision-making processes will remain crucial. Concluding the negotiations by May 2024 is the declared goal, although there are still some points of contention. The realistic concern is that the WHO will end up with insufficient powers and resources and will not produce an effective framework for preventing and responding to future pandemics, rather than becoming a "global health police" with far-reaching powers of intervention. The pandemic agreement should be seen as an opportunity to positively transform lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic into clear and transparent rules to defend against future pandemics.

Shift to the Right in Switzerland

SVP Wins on a Broad Front

While climate policy hardly played a role compared to the last Swiss parliamentary election, the SVP scored a clear election victory with its migration policy issue. It is followed by the SP, Die Mitte, the FDP, the Greens and the Green Liberals.

50 Jahre Mitgliedschaft Deutschlands in den Vereinten Nationen - eine Momentaufnahme

Am 18. September 2023 jährte sich der Beitritt Deutschlands in die Vereinten Nationen zum 50. Mal. Zeit für eine Momentaufnahme und für Reflektionen. Welche Rolle spielt Deutschland aktuell im UN-System? Wie wird Deutschland international wahrgenommen? Wie unterscheidet sich deutsche Diplomatie von der anderer internationaler Akteure? Die hier beschriebenen Einblicke und Einschätzungen basieren auf einer Interviewreihe des Autors in New York zur gewachsenen internationalen Verantwortung und der Soft Power Deutschlands im UN-System.

Tight race in the conservative camp in the National Council elections in Switzerland

The center and FDP are in a neck-and-neck race for the third place in parliament.

On October 22, the Swiss electorate will be called to the polls. This year's parliamentary elections are likely to see a resurgence of the Swiss People's Party (SVP). The right-wing populist party is benefiting from the boom in immigration issues and remains by far the strongest force in polls. The winners of the 2019 elections, the Greens, do not seem to be able to repeat their strong result, and the FDP is also stumbling. The Christian Democratic party "Die Mitte" could benefit from this and is preparing to enter the Swiss parliament as the third strongest force in a historic step.