The Politics and Government of Switzerland [Hardcover]

The Politics and Government of Switzerland is one of very few English language studies of contemporary Swiss politics. Drawing on recent research in Switzerland, and the author's own observations, it offers wide coverage of Swiss political forces, processes and policies. Church argues that Switzerland is actually a vibrant and pluralist polity, in which politics are increasingly competitive. However, it still retains some distinctive characteristics like direct democracy, which mean that the Swiss people play a larger role than in other countries.List of Maps, Diagrams and Boxes Preface List of Abbreviations Introduction PART I: THE SETTING The Swiss and their History The Socio-Economic Setting The Constitutional Setting PART II: POLITICAL ACTORS AND INSTITUTIONS The People at Politics Political Parties Interest Groups Social Movements and Other Political Forces Cantons and Communes Parliament The Executive Judiciary, Police and Army PART III: POLITICAL PROCESSES The Electoral Process The Direct Democratic Process The Federal Process Consultation and the National Policy Process Informal Politics Governance and Swiss Political Style PART IV: OUTPUTS Economic Policies Social and Cultural Policies Neutrality, Security and Foreign Policy Europe and Swiss Political Integration Problems and Prospects Annexes A Guide to Further Reading

'Clive Church, one of the leading foreign experts on Switzerland, has crowned 30 years of research with a book, written in English, on the Swiss political system. The Politics and Government of Switzerland seeks to destroy the illusion of a sleep alpine nation where very little happens.' - www.swissinfo.org

CLIVE H. CHURCH has taught in Dublin, Lille and the Universities of Lancaster and Kent, where he became Jean Monnet Professor of European Studies. As well as publishing widely on the European Union and its treaties, he is the author of many articles on Swiss history and politics.