Group of deputies reportedly planning law to “muzzle” Stauffer
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva politics, rarely calm, are heating up as Eric Stauffer, president of the Mouvement Citoyen Genevois (MCG), told Radio Cité Monday morning he will press charges against Guy Mettan, president of the canton’s Grand Conseil. Mettan, who heads the Geneva Press Club, last week labelled Stauffer a “specialist in violating” secrecy rules. Swiss law is strict on the obligation of employees, corporate but also political delegates, to respect confidential information. Stauffer accused Mettan of lying and says he will now press charges.
The issue of secrecy has been a hot one in Geneva politics for several months, with Stauffer often figuring in the heated exchanges.
Evening shopping soon a reality in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – The Grand Conseil, or cantonal council of Geneva voted Thursday evening 17 June to extend shopping hours in the city to 20:00 weekdays and 19:00 Saturdays, with a review of the new hours at the end of three years.
The project now becomes law, but Socialists and members of the MCG (Mouvement Citoyens genevois) say they will force a popular referendum on the issue, the first to protect workers, notably women who work in shops, and the second to protect family life from a growing consumerism that is replacing family time with buying, the group argues.
French Alps, seen from Celigny, Vaud in Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Frontaliers (cross-border workers) are said by some to be at the root of many of Geneva’s social problems, from traffic to crime to unemployment. These concerns among Geneva’s voters were reflected in last weekend’s elections to the cantonal parliament, or Grand Conseil, which gave the right-wing Mouvement des Cityoyens Genevois (MCG) an increase of 8 seats to 17, out of 100.
Le Temps asks in a lengthy article 16 October if there is any truth to the concerns that MCG raises, namely that frontaliers cause the problems of which they are accused.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Eric Stauffer says he will rid the streets of Geneva of beggars within 45 days of being elected to the cantonal government, if he is elected 15 November. The leader of the Mouvement des Citoyens Genevois (MCG) party which was the undeniable winner of Sunday’s 11 October elections to the cantonal parliament, or Grand Conseil, said on early morning radio 12 October that if elected to the seven-person cabinet, he will work to remove beggars from the streets.
Jet d'eau, Geneva
Update 10:15 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Canton Geneva elected its new 100-strong Grand Conseil, or parliament, Sunday and voters approved a multi-party mix that sees the power of the Socialists waning and a stronger centre-right. Geneva has long had a centre-left leaning. The biggest winner was the centre-right MCG, Mouvement Citoyens Genevois, which nearly doubled the number of seats it holds, to 17.
Media in French-speaking Switzerland are putting the accent on the populist nature of the party, pointing to its strongly anti-frontalier (workers who cross the border) platform. Le Temps notes that the party has taken advantage of a chink, growing concerns along the border about security and jobs, where many thought it did not have the strength.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Green party in Geneva has launched a drive to collect 7,000 signatures before 6 July to oppose the building of a tunnel under the village of Vesenaz. The Greens oppose the project because of its high cost, the fact that it benefits relatively few people, and does not solve the problem of traffic, which is regional, according to a spokesperson.
Doctors have shown no-smoking support with stickers restaurants and bars can use
Geneva, Switzerland (Le Temps, Fre) – Geneva’s battle to ban smoking continues: Thursday night the Grand Conseil, the canton’s legislative body, voted during a noisy and tense debate, to soften the no-smoking law proposed by the Conseil d’Etat, the canton’s executive body.
