A Humorous Guide to Switzerland

Landsgemeinde Glarus (www.sf.tv) Switzerland is a direct democracy . It is probably one of the best examples of direct democracies all over the world. On the ground, this means the Swiss people can vote directly on any new law rather than having elected representatives vote for them. It also means that in addition to elections which take place every other year (federal and cantonal), the Swiss vote about 3 or 4 times a year on very diverse issues. That's a lot of voting! Direct Democracy par excelence In no other place is this direct democracy more visible than in the public voting of the two Swiss cantons Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus . Instead of voting per letter or in polling booths like the rest of Switzerland, these cantons rely on the Landsgemeinde to settle matters. What is the Landsgemeinde? Literally 'Landsgemeinde' means " community of a canton " which is also a good graphic description of what is happening. All inhabitants of a canton who...

Every year on April Fools Day, people in Switzerland play pranks on each other. We did this as children and still do it as adults. Also, most Swiss newspapers, radio stations and TV stations allow themselves a little April Fools prank. Much like the famous broadcast about spaghetti growing on trees in Switzerland and Italy  by BBC in 1957, the Swiss insert little made up news stories every on April 1st into their regular programs. When Fake News is to be expected In the last years those fake news stories included e.g. a story about the canton of Appenzell distributing money to its citizens, one about communities in the canton of Thurgau suing the Circus Knie for not giving more performances in their canton, and a story about a chapel wagon for prayer that was added to each train of the Rhätische Bahn. Swiss Radio DRS let their listeners vote on the best pranks of the year. An April Fools Day Riddle Now, I know I am not a newspaper and I cannot as easily hide an untruth in...