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WORLD NEWS Monday 21 october 2019
Greens seen gaining as Switzerland elects new parliament

By GEIR MOULSON Support for the Swiss Peo-
Associated Press ple's Party was seen at
BERLIN (AP) — Greens 25.6%, down from its peak
made significant gains as of 29.4% in the 2015 elec-
Switzerland elected a new tion, which coincided with
parliament on Sunday, the high point of an influx of
while a populist right-wing migrants to Europe. There
party remained the coun- are three other parties in
try's strongest but saw its the government: the cen-
support slip, projections in- ter-left Social Democrats,
dicated. who were projected to win
The projected outcome 16.5% of the vote; the pro-
would amount to a sig- business Liberals, expected
nificant shift in a country to get 15.5%; and the Chris-
where political change tian Democrats, seen tak-
tends to be gradual, and Volunteers are helping to count the voting documents for the ing 11.8%.
fulfilled pre-election expec- Swiss national elections, on Sunday, Oct.20, 2019, in Zurich, The country's presidency
tations that environmental Switzerland. rotates between the seven
concerns would play out in Associated Press members of the Federal
Switzerland after boosting projected to make strong house at 13% — up from Council on an annual ba-
green parties in neighbor- enough gains Sunday to 7.1% four years ago. A sec- sis. The People's Party, the
ing Germany and Austria in overtake the smallest party ond, newer centrist party Social Democrats and Lib-
recent European and na- in the government. Party with an environmental fo- erals each have two seats
tional elections. chairwoman Regula Rytz cus, the Green Liberals, on the Federal Council at
The wealthy Alpine country told SRF public television was seen boosting its sup- present, and the Christian
of 8.2 million people is sur- she was "completely over- port to 7.6% from 4.6%. Democrats have one.q
rounded by members of whelmed" and "it is clear
the European Union and that the population wants
isn't a member of the bloc, greener politics."
though it has close ties with She suggested that the
it. Switzerland has an un- Federal Council's compo-
usual, consensus-oriented sition no longer reflects re-
political system. Parties ality but was less clear on
ranging from the center- whether the Greens might
left to the right-wing popu- challenge for a seat, giv-
list Swiss People's Party — en that none of its current
which has established itself members appear to have
as the country's strongest plans to step down. The
over the past two decades legislature elects the Feder-
— are represented on the al Council, and the Greens
governing Federal Council. would need support from
Voters have a direct say on other parties to pull off a
policy issues in referendums challenge.
several times every year. Projections for SRF with
The Federal Council counting well underway
doesn't currently include put the Green Party's sup-
the Green Party, which was port in parliament's lower

Mogherini rues 'historic

mistake' over EU

membership talks

Associated Press European Commission's
BRUSSELS (AP) — European advice."
Union foreign policy chief French President Emmanu-
Federica Mogherini says el Macron was the most vo-
the bloc's leaders have cal opponent of the mem-
made "a historic mistake" bership talks during this
when they failed to agree week's European Council,
on launching membership arguing that enlargement
negotiations with Albania procedures should first be
and North Macedonia ear- improved before allow-
lier this week. ing new countries into the
Mogherini said Sunday in 28-member bloc.
her blog that she regret- Mogherini wrote: "it is much
ted that European leaders more than a lost oppor-
couldn't find an agreement tunity: it is a historic mis-
despite "the extraordinary take, which I hope can
progress achieved by both be amended as soon as
countries and against the possible."q