ELECTION OF UK DELEGATES TO SERVE ON THE
COUNCIL OF THE SWISS ABROAD (CSA)
FOR THE 2021 – 2025 TERM

DELEGATES ANNOUNCED AT THE FOSSUK AGM ON 19 JUNE 2021

5 New UK CSA Candidates Elected

The eligible candidates who were standing for election to be voted in as a UK Delegate for the next term were ratified at the FOSSUK AGM on the 19th June 2021. 

Who was eligible to vote? 

To vote for your UK Delegates, the votee must:

- Be aged 18+

- A Swiss National resident in the United Kingdom

- Registered with the Swiss Embassy

Voting eligibility is verified by the Swiss Embassy London once a vote is submitted either by post or through the online portal. 

What makes an eligible candidate?

A candidate must be a Swiss citizen living in the UK, registered with the Swiss Embassy London, as well as to vote in Swiss elections and referenda. They must be fluent in either German or French, which are the languages at the OSA Council meetings, and be willing to participate in two yearly meetings of the OSA Council in Switzerland. 

All candidates standing for elections are independently vetted for elibility by the Swiss Embassy London.

OSA_Delegate_Elections_UK_Key_Dates

More information:

What is the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA)?

Who are the current UK CSA Delegates? 

Read the UK Delegates Reports to find out how they contribute and what it means for Swiss living and working in the UK.

For any enquiries regarding the voting process, data security or the role of UK Delegates, please email elections@swiss-societies.co.uk and an independent elections representative will respond. 


 

How does the UK voting work?

The UK are one of only a handful of countries where 3 of the CSA Delegates are elected democratically by the community as a whole, with 2 Delegates representative of the system where candidates are put forward by member clubs and societies.

This has lead to a complex, but fair process between the old club-only system and widening democracy to include all eligible citizens.

 

Rule 8 Election of UK Delegates to the Council of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad

8.1. FOSSUK is responsible for the Election of five Delegates to the Council of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). The OSA may adjust the number of Delegates from time to time if deemed necessary.

8.2. FOSSUK shall set up an Election Committee, consisting of three members of the Committee or equivalent, who are not standing as candidates for the election.

8.3. Selection of the delegates for the Council of the Swiss Abroad:

(a) The five Delegates are elected either based on popular vote amongst the Swiss living in the UK or by the Corporate Members. The election procedure for the “Directly Elected Delegates” is described in rule 8.4

(b) The three candidates who secured the largest popular vote are elected as delegates to the Council of the Swiss Abroad (“Directly Elected Delegates”).

(c) A further two delegates are elected by the Corporate Members (“Corporate Member Elected Delegates”).

(d) The procedure to determine the five delegates is as follows:
i. First the Election Committee announces the results of the popular votes for the “Directly Elected Delegates”. The ranking and number of votes of the candidates is presented.
ii. As a second step, if all candidates who are supported by a Corporate member are on the list of the five top-ranked candidates, the five candidates with the largest popular vote are elected as delegates.
iii. In the alternate case when not all candidates supported by a Corporate Member are on the list of the five top-ranked candidates, the top three candidates based on popular votes are elected. These three elected delegates are then withdrawn from the list of candidates. In a third step, a further two “Corporate Member Elected Delegates” are selected from the list of candidates with the fourth and fifth highest vote and from additional candidates supported by a Corporate member. Delegates four and five will be elected in turn by the Corporate members requiring a simple majority of votes according to rule 7.5.
iv. The election by Corporate Members will take place at the AGM.
v. All five elected delegates need to be ratified at the AGM by a two-thirds majority of Corporate Members.

THE 5 UK CSA DELEGATES

For the first time in the history of UK CSA Elections, you were able to vote online. Up to 5 candidates could be voted for. Candidate profiles are published in full on this website and summary profiles published in Issue 2 of the Regional Edition of the Swiss Review. 

Voting closed at midnight 20 May 2021.

All votes are confidential. Personal information was only used by the Swiss Embassy London to verify the eligibility of each vote received. Eligible votes are currently being counted securely and independently. The elected candidates are ratified at the FOSSUK AGM on 19 June 2021.  

Elections Timetable: 

Phase I: Call for candidates
30.11.2021 – 28.02.2021
Candidate eligibility is confirmed by the Swiss Embassy London

Phase II: Call for votes
20.04.2021 – 20.05.2021

Candidate profiles & voting slips published in Swiss Review UK Regional Pages Issue II 20.04.2021 and on this website.

Votes are counted independently and in confidence by the OSA Elections Country Representative and elections committee once eligibility has been confirmed by the Swiss Embassy London. 

Phase III: Elected UK Delegates ratified at the FOSSUK AGM 19.06.2021

OSA Congress: 20-22 August 2021 
Elected CSA UK Delegates attend

 

 

FOSSUK cannot predict the number of candidates or club endorsements in any given election, thus, voters can select up to 5 candidates per voting slip in according to the rules - with each candidate being counted only once per voting slip.

Referring to FOSSUK's constitution (available in full in the About Us section on this website), the below are the rules pertaining specifically to the election of CSA Delegates as ratified by members at the 2019 FOSSUK AGM. 

 

(e) In the event of fewer than five candidates in total, the FOSSUK Committee shall aim to co-opt and elect the remaining delegate(s).

(f) If a delegate resigns during their term, the FOSSUK committee shall aim to co-opt and elect a replacement delegate.

(g) The outcome of the election, or whenever a delegate is replaced, shall be promptly communicated to OSA.

8.4. Election procedure for the “Directly Elected Delegates”.

(a) FOSSUK invites applications of Swiss Nationals through the Swiss Review/UK Pages and appropriate Web Pages at least 6 months before the Annual General Meeting.

(b) FOSSUK invites Corporate Members to nominate candidates at least 6 months before the Annual General Meeting.

(c) FOSSUK considers each application in terms of eligibility criteria as set out by the Committee.

(d) FOSSUK publishes the list of Candidates in the Swiss Review/UK and a designated Web Pages prior to the election. Candidates that are supported by Corporate Members are listed with a label as such.

(e) Voting will proceed by postal mail or when available, by e-Voting. The voting instructions will be sent out in a particular issue of the Swiss Review/UK Pages. For postal voting it will include a voting slip. For e-Voting, the digital voting portal will be linked to the election web pages.

(f) Each voter can choose up to five candidates. Voting slips must be signed. Only original voting slips from the Swiss Review/UK Pages or printed copies with an original signature will be accepted as valid.

(g) Voting slips are to be sent to FOSSUK at the Swiss Embassy, London, and must arrive no later than 3 working weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.

(h) Votes will be verified by the Swiss Embassy in London and counted by the Election committee.

(i) When e-Voting becomes available in the UK, eligible voters will be contacted electronically where they will obtain voting instructions. Votes will be counted by the eVoting providers under the surveillance of OSA in Bern. A member of the Election committee shall be aim to be either in attendance or connected by video-link when the results are unveiled.

Q&A: Your influence as a Swiss Expat

Find out what the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) does and what being Delegate to the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) means.

On the 3rd of February, we held an online webinar where we heard from the current UK Delegates and OSA's Director, Ariana Rustichelli. 

Download PDF

WHAT IS THE ORGANISATION OF THE SWISS ABROAD (OSA)?

The Organisation for the Swiss Abroad (OSA), is an independent organisation which is recognised as the advocate of the interests of the Fifth Switzerland

Organised by the OSA, the Congress of the Swiss Abroad is the annual meeting of the Swiss citizen living all around the world. During this meeting, they have the opportunity to renew with the Swiss current information, to discuss on special themes and to exchange in a friendly atmosphere their own experiences. The Congress is held in German and French.

This Congress takes place each year in August, in a different area of Switzerland, and some 500 compatriots from the whole world come each year to this event. Visits, entertainment and meeting with the authorities and local population are also part of the programme.

The Council of the Swiss Abroad represents the interests of Swiss expatriates before the authorities and public opinion in Switzerland. This is why the media call it the 'Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland'. It has numerous major achievements for the Fifth Switzerland to its credit.

Quite a success story !

There have been many achievements and the SSA has always played a decisive role in carrying these through : the inclusion of Swiss living abroad in the Federal Constitution (Art 40), maintaining optional old-age and disablement insurance (AVS/AI), livelihood protection thanks to the Solidarity Fund, several civil rights revisions, information to Swiss abroad with the "Swiss Review", promotion of training young Swiss abroad or the introduction of the right to vote by mail - all these deserve to be highlighted as major achievements. It is also thanks to the activities of the Council of Swiss Abroad that the presence of the Fifth Switzerland back home over the years has increased significantly.

OSA SERVICES

  • Legal Department

  • Youth Service

  • Editorial Office "Swiss Review"

  • Association for the Promotion of Education for Young Swiss Abroad (AJAS)

  • educationsuisse (formerly: Committee for Swiss Schools Abroad)

  • Foundation for Young Swiss Abroad (FYSA)

More information is available on the OSA website: www.aso.ch

THE OSA MANAGEMENT TEAM

OSA is organised and run by a highly motivated and skilled team permanent administrative team, the Secretariat for the Swiss Abroad (SSA). You can see a full list of the team on the official Swiss Community website >