Unwanted Attention
German Far Right Praises New Swiss Law
NPD / Vorbild Schweiz
The NPD, a German far-right party, has been sending out new postcards. "The Swiss Example," they read. "Make Quick Work of Criminal Foreigners."
The country used to be renowned for its breathtaking Alpine landscapes, ultra-punctual train service and luxurious standard of living. Lately, however, Switzerland's reputation has taken a bit of a hit.
In 2009, Germany and several other countries, including the US, heavily criticized the country's banks for their alleged assistance to those who would evade paying taxes. In November of last year, the Swiss voted in a referendum to ban the construction of minarets in the country. And early this month, American dispatches from Switzerland, released by WikiLeaks, revealed deep US frustration with the country's desire to play an outsized role in finding a solution to the dispute with Iran over that country's nuclear program.
Now, however, it would appear that Switzerland has found an unwanted ally. At the end of November, Swiss voters passed a referendum mandating the swift deportation of non-citizens who have been convicted of certain crimes. Since then, the German far-right party NPD has handed out postcards praising the Swiss initiative.
The postcards depict an idyllic mountain landscape with the famous Matterhorn in the background. "The Swiss Example," they read. "Make Quick Work of Criminal Foreigners."
NPD spokesman Klaus Beier told the Swiss news website 20 Minuten Online that since the start of December, "We have distributed several hundred thousand of the postcards in Germany."
Black and White Sheep
The Swiss referendum was heavily criticized by human rights groups and by the European Commission in Brussels. The NPD, however, wants to highlight what it sees as the benefits of direct democracy as practiced in Switzlerland. "The introduction of Swiss-style direct democracy has been a priority of ours for decades," Beier told 20 Minuten Online.
It's not the first time Germany's far right has borrowed a tune from the Swiss right wing. During a 2007 parliamentary campaign, the populist Swiss People's Party (SVP) -- which launched the November referendum -- printed posters showing white sheep kicking a black sheep off the Swiss flag. The image found its way onto NPD posters for a state election in the German state of Hesse in 2008.
In late 2009, a German court banned an NPD poster depicting two ravens pecking at a €100 bill, captioned "Stop the Polish Invasion." The SVP had earlier printed a poster with the same black ravens picking apart a map of Switzerland.
The SVP has been adamant about denying any connection to the NPD. The Swiss party even considered legal action for the 2009 appropriation, though nothing came of it.
The propaganda from Switzerland, moreover, hasn't done much for the NPD. After a brief surge of support several years ago, the party has lately had trouble attracting supporters.
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