Archive: Smart Government

Switzerland Has Decided

In an interview with Blick, German speaking Switzerland’s biggest selling daily newspaper, Avenir Suisse director Gerhard Schwarz draws some initial conclusions from the referendum backing the so called “Anti Mass-immigration” initiative. The priority now will be to achieve the greatest flexibility in domestic and foreign policy in implementing the decision. It is also important not to endanger the elaborate series of bilateral treaties negotiated with the EU.

, Gerhard Schwarz interviewed by René Lüchinger

The Role of Direct Democracy in Fostering Competition between Local Governments

That many Swiss municipalities deal sensibly with their tax revenues is not, strictly speaking, due to competition between local governments: competition is attenuated by Switzerland’s three tier system of government and by cantonal financial transfer mechanisms that can, in extremis, eliminate entirely all incentives for sound local management. Rather, the driver for good housekeeping is direct democracy.

, Lukas Rühli

https://www.avenir-suisse.ch/en/pillar/smart-government-en/page/9