The Biology of Switzerland

Political campaign managers in Switzerland are attracted by the world’s diverse flora and fauna. During the last national election campaign the right wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) black sheep ad got a lot of attention . There was also billy-goat Zottel, hero in the online game “Zottel saves Switzerland”. Zottel was facing a tough task: he did not have to stop climate change or even improve Swiss penalty skills. He had to make sure that no one unworthy got the Swiss pass port, Green party members did not install to many speed limits, and, of course, make sure no black sheep entered Switzerland. Zottel has fought bravely and the SVP has won its highest share of votes ever.

Next week-end we will have a referendum on the bilateral treaties with the European Union.* The “no”-committee sees a new danger looming. An evil wizard has transformed the black sheep, that have been kicked so successfully out of Switzerland, into black crows, hungry for Swiss cheese. The “yes”-campaign has responded with a plant. An apple tree carries the fruits of the bilateral treaties. There is now another online game, where you have to protect an apple tree from black crows.

Is that a bit confusing for you? It's actually very simple. Four legs bad, two legs bad, and voting “yes” will preserve a tree of knowledge in the Swiss paradise.

*More precisely, it’s about the free movement of labor treaty and its extension to Bulgaria and Romania. Because of the “clause guillotine” a “no” would also cancel the other bilateral treaties. And sheep don’t like guillotines.