anyone Who has read in the last twenty years, Newspapers, do not know that the money that you earn with printed texts, is more likely. Journalists live far away from the editors, their children send to school and with the neighbors about the rules in the Laundry room to discuss, is increasingly rare. Firstly, it is expensive – secondly, you can read that Munich has from Japanese Newspapers, live pictures from the Sahara desert to watch and the Indonesian mountain farmers via video chat interview. In short: correspondents, you could save actually.

What speaks against it? In my experience, the last four years in Zurich, the are mainly two types of stories. The quick, unexpected issues encountered. For example, the duration of kiffende mate who proudly tells, he and most of his friends were already on the CBD. The prostitutes on the Langstrasse, where you ask yourself every day, how they live, and organize. A friend tells of a Start-up for natural prevention from Zurich. Surprise hits, one of which is a little bit of luck – and you would not see from a distance.

The second type of stories, however, is slow. It takes time to get noticed. I, for example, Swiss as well as Abroad since I was 18. Birthday will be able to vote in the Canton of neuchâtel. At the beginning I tried it also. The documents translated, with my parents discussed, Swiss Newspapers to read. Quite a bit of work, I was annoyed especially that the school had withheld the French word for roundabout and guard rail. I haven’t voted often.

Model? Dangerous?

If later on, in policy studies, direct democracy was discussed, I thought, like all others, to the privileged parents in Hamburg, who fought with signature lists to ensure that your Maximilian could continue to go to the Gymnasium.

it was Only in Zurich, I again started to vote. The red vote booklet was one of my most reliable sources in the reporting, the vote Sunday, the day blocks on the year as a whole. Although I could normally understand what it was about, I found it initially quite expensive. I admired my friends in Zurich, who took this effort of course – and was ashamed of me, if I abused a local vote is empty. With time I got used to hatch the evening on local construction projects, and googling for hours for the municipal Council candidate from my neighborhood.

When I spoke with my colleagues in Munich about direct democracy, we were always less likely to be in mind. What I found fascinating, true to life and extremely exemplary, it appeared to be dry and bureaucratic – and, on the other hand, is dangerous. The people as a last resort for many, German is a difficult idea. The Swiss, the possibility of the death penalty, and to declare to the world war, since the 19th century. Century do not have used to convince many.

Paradox

For the book about Switzerland as a model for the AfD (redpoint Verlag, 2017) I have spoken with those who benefit from this view. The German Right managed to make direct democracy to your topic. Many Germans today still believe that referendums are a right-wing concern, a means to lift the existing order from the fishing, to give the government the Stammtisch. The AfD is probably right so, finally, she has occupied a popular concern.

For a small group of civil rights activists, many of whom have been fighting since the fall of the Berlin wall for more direct involvement, it is hard. Because while the “dangerous” side of direct democracy causes at least a passionate rejection, the practice to which the activists refer to a rather soporific effect.

So, a paradoxical Situation arises in Germany: Although a majority of Germans for the people’s votes, not a big party. The AfD benefits from ignorance and lack of interest. Because that’s exactly how it went for me with the Vote, it is also many other: Direct democracy is exciting, if you can co-decide. But then things changed.

unlike most other Nations, the Swiss are accustomed to be asked, if in your environment, something changed. You decide whether a granary is allowed to stand in the future in the afternoon sun. The feeling that arises, is a long-term. There is security, stability and a great matter of course, Every citizen knows that nothing (or almost nothing) will be decided over his head.

This sense of life to the Text? I have never been able to. For rates on diving in very many articles that describe these Swiss normalcy, to try to illustrate the Swiss self-understanding. Although these are rare in the texts, which are far in front of the sheet. When I Write, I had always the feeling that they are the most important. (Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 28.02.2019, 10:29 PM