For the first time the Council of the Swiss Abroad is being elected by a direct vote. Over 13,000 ballots have been cast worldwide. The high rate of participation has raised hopes of a new dynamism in the Council, but younger people who are elected may find it hard to stay committed to the Council for the full term. On May 11, polls closed for the largest organised direct elections in the history of the Council of the Swiss Abroad. The operation was a success: 13,473 votes were cast in the 13 constituencies. In Germany alone, 4,416 Swiss Abroad voted for their eight delegates and two deputies for the next term of office on the Council. As a comparison, under the indirect voting system in 2021 in Germany, 32 representatives of the 40 Swiss associations entitled to vote chose councillors. At that time 23 candidates were standing for election, as opposed to 28 this time. “The more than 4,000 voters make a real difference,” said Tobias Orth, vice-president of the Swiss Abroad ...
