‘Let’s not fool ourselves: democracy is not doing well’

Swiss President Guy Parmelin is one of 112 government representatives at the first Summit for Democracy. Our democracy correspondent has imagined the speech he thinks Parmelin should deliver. “President Biden, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Many of you already know…

What Switzerland can offer the Summit for Democracy

Switzerland is taking part in the Summit for Democracy held by the United States from December 9-10. The small country wants to seize the opportunity to make its mark internationally. The two-day summit was an election promise by US President…

Vote results for November 28, 2021

Walking a tightrope as a democracy advocate in Thailand

In Thailand, protestors are not ready to give up their fight for democracy. Journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk, the latest in our Global Voices of Freedom series, explains what’s at stake. An impressive black-and-white picture, by Italian photographer Jan Daga, shows an…

A just democracy is a robust democracy

Polarisation, social divisions, distrust and inequality: How can people in democracies push back against the negative dynamics emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic? At the International Forum Zofingen, SWI swissinfo.ch asked international and Swiss democracy experts for some answers to some…

Your voice matters in making the world a healthier place

At times I feel overwhelmed about all the bad news popping up as notifications on my phone: violence in places like Khartoum (Sudan), Joliet (US) or Donbas (Ukraine); dilutions of climate agreements at the Glasgow COP26 conference or the ongoing…

Broad support for direct funding of Swiss media

The coronavirus pandemic has further weakened Switzerland’s already struggling media industry. To help news organisations, the authorities want to give the press more financial aid. This idea currently has broad support, including among the Swiss public, but voters may get…

Why we need to listen to Global Voices of Freedom

In the latest direct democracy newsletter: how the re-opening after the pandemic doesn’t always mean the return of civil liberties, and how listening to testimonies of free expression from around the world can help. The world is opening up again….

Freedom of expression ‘has a price’, says Brazilian comedian

Brazil has never been a big fan of freedom of expression, says Brazilian actor and comedian Gregório Duvivier. The host of the weekly HBO Brazil show Greg News, popular with young people, is the latest contributor to swissinfo.ch’s Global Voices of…