The Book Has Not Yet Outlived Its Use as a Political Weapon
Published: Sunday, Sep 17th 2023, 14:40
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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In the weeks leading up to the Swiss federal elections, books written by several politicians, particularly from the West Switzerland, have been filling the shelves of bookstores. The book has not yet lost its political power, as more and more Swiss politicians are turning to this medium for political campaigning. Examples include Nationalrat and Gewerkschaftsbund-Präsident Pierre-Yves Maillard (VD) and Walliser Ex-Bundesrat Pascal Couchepin. In the Westschweiz, most politicians publish their works in the two publishing houses L'Aire and Favre. In the Romandie, Jean Ziegler and Georges-André Chevallaz have popularised the political genre in literature. In the Deutschschweiz, politicians write fewer books, but examples include Islam Alijaj and Stefan Müller-Altermatt. Two FDP politicians, Baschi Dürr and Andri Silberschmidt, have also published books in the NZZ-Libro-Verlag. In 2010, Grüne Nationalrat Bastien Girod (ZH) published a book which was partly autobiographical, partly political program and future vision. Overall, books are still a popular medium for political campaigning in Switzerland, with politicians from all regions of the country publishing works. Examples include Pierre-Yves Maillard, Pascal Couchepin, Islam Alijaj, Stefan Müller-Altermatt, Baschi Dürr, Andri Silberschmidt and Bastien Girod.nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
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