THE GUARDIAN: Christoph Blocher, Switzerland's hardline populist leader, was kicked out of the Swiss government yesterday in a coup that plunged Swiss politics into uncertain territory.
Despite leading his anti-immigrant Swiss People's Party (SVP) to a second general election victory seven weeks ago, Blocher, a billionaire businessman and justice minister in the outgoing government, was caught napping by a deft piece of overnight political manoeuvring by Social Democrats and Christian Democrats who blocked his path to cabinet by persuading a party colleague to stand against him.
The defeat for Blocher changed the rules of a normally staid and predictable political culture, and left his party pledging to go into opposition rather than take part in the coalition government that invariably rules Switzerland.
The defeat was due to political plotting by Social Democrats and Christian Democrats who vowed to oppose Blocher, but not his party, and sprang a surprise by backing one of Blocher's party colleagues for his cabinet seat. Switzerland's far-right leader is kicked out of cabinet >>> By Ian Traynor
BBC:
Far-right leaves Swiss government
NZZ:
Shwerer Gang in die Opposition
RADIO DRS:
Blochers Rede (Audio)
Mark Alexander
