Switzerland votes to curb EU immigration

[celedhring]

And this in a country with 4 different language/cultural groups 

[Grey Fox]

And this in a country with 4 different language/cultural groups 

So you understand their point?

[alfred russel]

No one benefits from excluding Switzerland from the common market, not the Swiss, not the rest of Europeans.

However, I think it would hurt the EU long-term even more if we started to compromise on the four basic freedoms, one of which is at stake here.

How does this impact the four basic freedoms? The Swiss aren't a part of the EU.

You guys have the risk of the UK dropping out right now. Hammering Switzerland because of theoretical restrictions that probably will be quite mild will probably play into a UK exit vote.

[celedhring]

And this in a country with 4 different language/cultural groups 

So you understand their point?

No, I don't. In the bit where he appeals for the "language", my first question was: which one?

I'm a bit worried with all these xenophobe outbursts throughout Europe. One thinks that they will go away once the recession finally recedes, since people are mostly blaming their problems on "the outsider". But then again, Switzerland has done well during it.

[celedhring]

No one benefits from excluding Switzerland from the common market, not the Swiss, not the rest of Europeans.

However, I think it would hurt the EU long-term even more if we started to compromise on the four basic freedoms, one of which is at stake here.

How does this impact the four basic freedoms? The Swiss aren't a part of the EU.

You guys have the risk of the UK dropping out right now. Hammering Switzerland because of theoretical restrictions that probably will be quite mild will probably play into a UK exit vote.

I don't think the UK would never leave the EU, if leaving the EU meant the loss of all 4 freedoms (as in, losing the free market area). Keeping it "all or nothing" is best for the EU, in my opinion.

[Grey Fox]

And this in a country with 4 different language/cultural groups 

So you understand their point?

No, I don't. In the bit where he appeals for the "language", my first question was: which one?

I'm a bit worried with all these xenophobe outbursts throughout Europe. One thinks that they will go away once the recession finally recedes, since people are mostly blaming their problems on "the outsider". But then again, Switzerland has done well during it.

They already have diversity, in the form of their 4 cultural group.


It's because Arabs & Eastern European immigrants are assholes.

[Iormlund]

It's hilarious to read that dude in EUOT bitch at Italians stealing jobs in Ticino, an Italian-speaking canton within spitting distance. Especially when unemployment rate is something like 3-4%.

We have something like 5-6 million immigrants from all over the place and about the same number of folks without jobs. The Swiss in our position would be laying down the gas pipes.

[Duque de Bragança]

No one benefits from excluding Switzerland from the common market, not the Swiss, not the rest of Europeans.

However, I think it would hurt the EU long-term even more if we started to compromise on the four basic freedoms, one of which is at stake here.

How does this impact the four basic freedoms? The Swiss aren't a part of the EU.

You guys have the risk of the UK dropping out right now. Hammering Switzerland because of theoretical restrictions that probably will be quite mild will probably play into a UK exit vote.

The UK dropping out would be actually seen as a positive for many people, not just wackos. The UK is not exactly a core member, it has plenty of opt-outs. It might not be as mild for the UK though.

[Duque de Bragança]

It's hilarious to read that dude in EUOT bitch at Italians stealing jobs in Ticino, an Italian-speaking canton within spitting distance. Especially when unemployment rate is something like 3-4%.

We have something like 5-6 million immigrants from all over the place and about the same number of folks without jobs. The Swiss in our position would be laying down the gas pipes.

Well, the Ticino canto was even in more in favour of the proposal than Alemannic cantons. Is that something new or is it a pattern like the Romand/Alemannic opposition?

[The Larch]

It's hilarious to read that dude in EUOT bitch at Italians stealing jobs in Ticino, an Italian-speaking canton within spitting distance. Especially when unemployment rate is something like 3-4%.

We have something like 5-6 million immigrants from all over the place and about the same number of folks without jobs. The Swiss in our position would be laying down the gas pipes.

Well, the Ticino canto was even in more in favour of the proposal than Alemannic cantons. Is that something new or is it a pattern like the Romand/Alemannic opposition?

According to friends of mine, Ticino is the Lega Nord's wet dream.

[Iormlund]

No one benefits from excluding Switzerland from the common market, not the Swiss, not the rest of Europeans.

However, I think it would hurt the EU long-term even more if we started to compromise on the four basic freedoms, one of which is at stake here.

How does this impact the four basic freedoms? The Swiss aren't a part of the EU.

You guys have the risk of the UK dropping out right now. Hammering Switzerland because of theoretical restrictions that probably will be quite mild will probably play into a UK exit vote.

Switzerland is party to Schengen, and thus the four freedoms.

As for the UK, the worst thing we can do about that is give concessions to the Swiss. Once you've opened Pandora's Box there's no way to close it again.

[alfred russel]

Switzerland is party to Schengen, and thus the four freedoms.

As for the UK, the worst thing we can do about that is give concessions to the Swiss. Once you've opened Pandora's Box there's no way to close it again.

The Swiss only agreed to join the Schengen area when there was the risk of them losing other bilateral treaties with the EU and I would guess they are taking more immigrants on a per capita basis than any non microstate country. I can't imagine the restrictions will be so severe if this only passed with 50.3% of the vote.

If the EU wants to take a really hard line, that is only going to play into the perception that it is a borg like entity bent on assimilating the various nationalities of europe into an undifferentiated euro-mass, regardless of what the people want. The approach of holding an economic knife to country's throats to keep them in line is bound to backfire--voters are not necessarily rational actors.

[garbon]

But AR you seem to be arguing then for a paper tiger version of the EU.

[Iormlund]

Meh. The truth is the guys at Brussels can barely tie their shoelaces together, much less agree to oppress anyone. Eurosceptics are usually nothing more than modern Don Quijotes, tilting at the EU windmills. If one is stupid enough to believe the EU is anything else than a series of treaties between states, nothing will convince him otherwise.

[alfred russel]

But AR you seem to be arguing then for a paper tiger version of the EU.

Not really. Cutting Switzerland off from the common market could seriously harm the country. Why do that when by the narrowest of margins all Swiss voters have done is said they want some limit, in 3 years? With business and the government aligned in not wanting any limits, it seems that any limit will be very minor.