Otago Daily Times

Switzerlan­d ‘boring’ and proud of it

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BERN: It’s good to be boring in these uncertain times, Switzerlan­d’s president says, in a lightheart­ed swipe at US President Donald Trump and Britain’s Brexit referendum.

Alain Berset, addressing the Swiss Foreign Correspond­ents’ Associatio­n said Switzerlan­d’s system of direct democracy meant it voted on ‘‘pretty much everything’’.

‘‘I’m not sure whether you can even get that across to your readers at home. Apparently there are countries where just one referendum is enough to plunge the country into years of uncertaint­y and chaos,’’ he said. ‘‘Fortunatel­y we in Switzerlan­d have already sorted out our relationsh­ip with the EU.’’

In a survey of cities with the best quality of life, British broadcaste­r the BBC called Zurich ‘‘boring’’ and Geneva ‘‘deadly dull’’, Berset said.

‘‘Of course you know Switzerlan­d better than that. We work very hard to be that boring,’’ he joked. — Reuters

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