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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Swiss voting for new parliament | Swiss voting for new parliament |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Officials in Switzerland have begun counting ballots from the country's general election, following a campaign marred by accusations of racism. | Officials in Switzerland have begun counting ballots from the country's general election, following a campaign marred by accusations of racism. |
| The right-wing Swiss People's Party, already the largest party in Switzerland's parliament, looks set to get the biggest share of the vote. | The right-wing Swiss People's Party, already the largest party in Switzerland's parliament, looks set to get the biggest share of the vote. |
| Switzerland's system of proportional representation means the party cannot hope for an overall majority. | Switzerland's system of proportional representation means the party cannot hope for an overall majority. |
| But the campaign has caused deep unease among the large immigrant community. | But the campaign has caused deep unease among the large immigrant community. |
| One single issue dominated the election campaign: foreigners. | One single issue dominated the election campaign: foreigners. |
| Twenty percent of Switzerland's population is foreign and the now notorious poster from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, in which three white sheep kick a black sheep out of Switzerland, was widely regarded as racist. | Twenty percent of Switzerland's population is foreign and the now notorious poster from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, in which three white sheep kick a black sheep out of Switzerland, was widely regarded as racist. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7050498.stm">Vote follows ugly canpaign class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/3206778.stm">Profile: Christoph Blocher | |
| But the party itself insisted the poster was simply an illustration of its campaign to have foreigners who commit crimes deported. | But the party itself insisted the poster was simply an illustration of its campaign to have foreigners who commit crimes deported. |
| That campaign does seem to have struck a chord with voters. | That campaign does seem to have struck a chord with voters. |
| The party has been leading in the opinion polls, and it is likely to get the biggest share of the vote. | The party has been leading in the opinion polls, and it is likely to get the biggest share of the vote. |
| The People's Party will see that as a mandate to push forward policies like the deportation of foreign criminals, and a ban on building minarets. | The People's Party will see that as a mandate to push forward policies like the deportation of foreign criminals, and a ban on building minarets. |
| Opponents fear growing divisions in Swiss society and damage to Switzerland's reputation for consensus and tolerance. | Opponents fear growing divisions in Swiss society and damage to Switzerland's reputation for consensus and tolerance. |