Sunday, June 14, 2026
Warsaw Pride 2026: Poland Makes History | Pulse of Culture
June 14, 2026 | Warsaw Pride 2026 arrives as Poland registers its first same-sex marriage certificate, transforming this year's celebration from protest into a historic victory. This is a landmark moment on a long road, and this week Pulse of Culture tells that story in full.
We join Warsaw Pride 2026, where, for the first time in years, the mood feels less like protest and more like celebration following this historic legal breakthrough. We profile some of Poland's most influential queer cultural icons, figures whose impact reaches far beyond their own communities. And we trace a century of progress and resistance in Poland's LGBTQ+ history, from repression to the first same-sex marriage certificate entered into the Polish civil registry. In culture, Hania Rani, one of Poland's most internationally celebrated composers and a 2026 European Film Award winner, returns to Warsaw to open the Ephemera Festival. And in Tuscany, the town of Pietrasanta opens a new museum dedicated to Igor Mitoraj, one of Poland's most distinctive and internationally recognized sculptors, who made his home there in 1983 and lived and worked there until his death in 2014., who made his home there in 1983 and lived and worked until his death in 2014.
Pulse of Culture is a weekly English-language magazine for anyone with a connection to Poland, including tourists, the diaspora, and the simply curious. New episodes are released every Sunday.
We join Warsaw Pride 2026, where, for the first time in years, the mood feels less like protest and more like celebration following this historic legal breakthrough. We profile some of Poland's most influential queer cultural icons, figures whose impact reaches far beyond their own communities. And we trace a century of progress and resistance in Poland's LGBTQ+ history, from repression to the first same-sex marriage certificate entered into the Polish civil registry. In culture, Hania Rani, one of Poland's most internationally celebrated composers and a 2026 European Film Award winner, returns to Warsaw to open the Ephemera Festival. And in Tuscany, the town of Pietrasanta opens a new museum dedicated to Igor Mitoraj, one of Poland's most distinctive and internationally recognized sculptors, who made his home there in 1983 and lived and worked there until his death in 2014., who made his home there in 1983 and lived and worked until his death in 2014.
Pulse of Culture is a weekly English-language magazine for anyone with a connection to Poland, including tourists, the diaspora, and the simply curious. New episodes are released every Sunday.
‘Straight Out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ Members Fight for Pride after Essex Library Ban
THE GUARDIAN: Rochford LGBTQ+ community say Reform council’s ban on flying pride flags or holding events states they’re not welcome
Before Reform gained control of Essex county council in the May elections, Chris Taylor and members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community already felt they were witnessing a growing tide of political rhetoric around identity.
But they were still shocked when the county’s new leadership moved to ban Pride events in 74 libraries, scaling back events of “any particular groups or themes”, a decision they said was “straight out of Trumpland”.
“It communicates the fact that we’re not welcome,” said Taylor, who recently launched a petition against the “Orwellian” ban on pride events in Essex libraries.
Reform councils across England, from Essex and Durham to Leicestershire and Kent, have imposed bans on flying the pride flag and holding pride events in public spaces, as well as, in some cases, defunding pride events previously sponsored by local authorities.
Essex county council said libraries were “safe spaces for everybody” and LGBTQ+ books and displays would continue, but added the promotion of library events aimed at specific groups was under review. » | Geneva Abdul and Aamna Mohdin | Sunday, June 14, 2026
Before Reform gained control of Essex county council in the May elections, Chris Taylor and members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community already felt they were witnessing a growing tide of political rhetoric around identity.
But they were still shocked when the county’s new leadership moved to ban Pride events in 74 libraries, scaling back events of “any particular groups or themes”, a decision they said was “straight out of Trumpland”.
“It communicates the fact that we’re not welcome,” said Taylor, who recently launched a petition against the “Orwellian” ban on pride events in Essex libraries.
Reform councils across England, from Essex and Durham to Leicestershire and Kent, have imposed bans on flying the pride flag and holding pride events in public spaces, as well as, in some cases, defunding pride events previously sponsored by local authorities.
Essex county council said libraries were “safe spaces for everybody” and LGBTQ+ books and displays would continue, but added the promotion of library events aimed at specific groups was under review. » | Geneva Abdul and Aamna Mohdin | Sunday, June 14, 2026
Waleed Asadi: How Palestinians Make Bamya | Beef & Okra Stew | بامية
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
Bread : Guitar Man
Suisse : l’initiative anti-immigration devrait être rejetée, selon les premières projections
LE FIGARO : Selon les projections, une majorité de Suisses a rejeté dimanche l’initiative populaire anti-immigration qui proposait de plafonner la population du pays. Le durcissement des conditions d’accès au service civil semblait en revanche en voie d’adoption.
Les Suisses auraient rejeté l’initiative populaire anti-immigration de la droite radicale proposant de plafonner la population du pays, selon les projections de l’institut de sondage gsf.bern.
Dans un référendum distinct, la tendance tendait en revanche vers une approbation d’un projet du gouvernement visant à durcir les conditions d’accès au service civil afin de préserver la primauté du service militaire, avec près de 53% de votes favorables. Le vote sur l’initiative anti-immigration, qui s’annonçait très serré, aurait basculé en faveur du non à 55%, selon la tendance de gsf.bern publiée 30 minutes après la fermeture des bureaux de vote.
« Nous sommes très soulagés et heureux. C’est un résultat qui est important pour notre pays et pour nos relations avec l’UE », a réagi la directrice l’organisation patronale economie suisse, Monika Rühl, à la télévision publique RTS. « Je suis rassuré. Cette initiative mettait en pratique une politique du bouc émissaire », a également déclaré Benoît Gaillard, député socialiste, à la télévision. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 14 juin 2026
Les Suisses auraient rejeté l’initiative populaire anti-immigration de la droite radicale proposant de plafonner la population du pays, selon les projections de l’institut de sondage gsf.bern.
Dans un référendum distinct, la tendance tendait en revanche vers une approbation d’un projet du gouvernement visant à durcir les conditions d’accès au service civil afin de préserver la primauté du service militaire, avec près de 53% de votes favorables. Le vote sur l’initiative anti-immigration, qui s’annonçait très serré, aurait basculé en faveur du non à 55%, selon la tendance de gsf.bern publiée 30 minutes après la fermeture des bureaux de vote.
« Nous sommes très soulagés et heureux. C’est un résultat qui est important pour notre pays et pour nos relations avec l’UE », a réagi la directrice l’organisation patronale economie suisse, Monika Rühl, à la télévision publique RTS. « Je suis rassuré. Cette initiative mettait en pratique une politique du bouc émissaire », a également déclaré Benoît Gaillard, député socialiste, à la télévision. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 14 juin 2026
This Is Oligarchy: Elon Musk Becomes World's First TRILLIONAIRE with SpaceX IPO
This is just the start! Now we have one trillionaire. How long will it be before we have many? That we have trillionaires at all is the result of Reaganomics and Thatcherism. That political duo were the start of this INSANITY. And the WEAK political leaders the West has had to tolerate ever since have allowed this nonsense to take shape. That we had multi-billionaires hundreds of times over was bad enough, but now, with the start of the trillionaire class developing, things are about to take a turn for the worse. Bleak times lie ahead for us little people! Goodbye democracy; hello servitude! — © Mark Alexander
Japan's Loneliness Crisis: Nearly 77,000 People Found Dead Alone Last Year
Jun 13, 2026 | Japan is facing a growing loneliness crisis as its aging population and shrinking families leave more people isolated. From elderly residents living alone to younger generations struggling with social disconnection, loneliness is becoming a major social challenge.
Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok reports.
Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok reports.
Finstere Anzeichen sieht Navidi im Mega-Börsengang von SpaceX: "Musk kann Wahrheit kaufen" | ntv
Fashion Unpicked: The Bar Suit by Christian Dior | V&A
Related videos can be found here.
The Story Behind the Dior Bar Jacket
Sept 21, 2022 | Deciphering symbols and secrets, each new episode in the A.B.C.Dior podcast series examines and explains the codes shaping the house of Dior. By moving from pure audio, this highly-illustrated video format allows for a full immersion into the House's history and heritage, offering fascinating insights for the viewer into the founding couturier’s own life, the friends who surrounded him, outside influences, and the work of his successors right up to the present day.
The Bar suit is emblematic of the New Look, a vision of powerful femininity, and, in itself, a symbol of French elegance.
Une vidéo connexe sur Christian Dior est disponible ici.
The Bar suit is emblematic of the New Look, a vision of powerful femininity, and, in itself, a symbol of French elegance.
Une vidéo connexe sur Christian Dior est disponible ici.
Where Will the Coming Iran War Negotiations Lead? (w/ Mohammad Marandi) | The Chris Hedges Report
Schweiz am Limit? Was wirklich hinter dem Dichtestress steckt
May 13, 2026 | Volle Züge, verstopfte Strassen, knapper Wohnraum: Viele Menschen in der Schweiz spüren «Dichtestress». Aber ist das Land wirklich zu voll? Oder entsteht das Problem vor allem dort, wo Bevölkerung, Verkehr, Wohnraum und Infrastruktur nicht im gleichen Tempo wachsen?
Der Begriff Dichtestress ist in der Schweizer Politik wieder präsent, besonders im Zusammenhang mit Zuwanderung, Bevölkerungswachstum und der Initiative «Keine 10-Millionen-Schweiz!». Doch objektive Dichte bedeutet nicht automatisch Stress: Entscheidend ist oft, wie eng, kontrollierbar und gut organisiert der Alltag erlebt wird.
Beispiele aus Oftringen und Neuhegi in Winterthur zeigen, wann Wachstum zur Belastung wird. Und wann Verdichtung auch Chancen bringt: bessere Infrastruktur, mehr Freiräume, mehr Angebote und kürzere Wege.
Der Begriff Dichtestress ist in der Schweizer Politik wieder präsent, besonders im Zusammenhang mit Zuwanderung, Bevölkerungswachstum und der Initiative «Keine 10-Millionen-Schweiz!». Doch objektive Dichte bedeutet nicht automatisch Stress: Entscheidend ist oft, wie eng, kontrollierbar und gut organisiert der Alltag erlebt wird.
Beispiele aus Oftringen und Neuhegi in Winterthur zeigen, wann Wachstum zur Belastung wird. Und wann Verdichtung auch Chancen bringt: bessere Infrastruktur, mehr Freiräume, mehr Angebote und kürzere Wege.
Votation sur l’immigration en Suisse : que se passera-t-il si le «oui» l’emporte ?
LE FIGARO : Pénurie de logements, hausse des loyers, trains bondés, augmentation de la criminalité, système de santé à bout et baisse de la qualité de l’enseignement sont les principaux arguments des promoteurs de cette initiative.
Les Suisses votent dimanche sur une initiative populaire anti-immigration proposant de plafonner la population du pays et un projet gouvernemental visant à resserrer les critères d'accès au service civil afin de préserver le caractère prioritaire du service militaire. En Suisse, la grande majorité des électeurs votent à l'avance par correspondance. Les bureaux de vote n'ouvrent que quelques heures, les derniers fermant à midi (10H00 GMT) et les premiers résultats sont attendus dans l'après-midi.
Pénurie de logements, hausse des loyers, bétonnage du paysage, bouchons, trains bondés, augmentation de la criminalité, système de santé à bout et baisse de la qualité de l’enseignement sont les principaux arguments des promoteurs de cette initiative. « La Suisse est un petit pays qui n’est pas extensible » et nous « ne voulons pas accueillir l’Europe entière ni toute la misère du monde », a déclaré à l’AFP Yvan Pahud, député UDC. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Dimanche 14 juin 2026
U.S. and Tehran Send Mixed Signals on Emerging Peace Agreement
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump said it would be signed on Sunday, but Iran’s Foreign Ministry cautioned that the timeline could be slower.
Screenshot is from this NYT article. | People walking past a mural in Tehran last week. | Arash Khamooshi/Polaris for The New York Times
It was unclear early Sunday when or whether the United States and Iran might sign a peace agreement, after President Trump and Tehran offered conflicting timelines.
Mr. Trump said in a social media post on Saturday that a deal was “scheduled to get signed” the next day and that it would immediately open the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, a key mediator in the negotiations, had said in a post hours earlier that the finalization of an agreement was expected within 24 hours, followed by the “electronic signing of the peace deal.”
But Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said that a deal would not be signed on Sunday, though he left open the possibility that one could be in the coming days, according to the Iranian state news media.
Neither the United States nor Iran has shared text of the deal being considered, and it could still be derailed. American and Iranian officials have said that under a “memorandum of understanding,” Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, and the cease-fire that the two sides agreed to in April would be extended for 60 days.
During that period, both sides would commit to holding detailed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, where differences persist and neither side has shown much willingness to compromise, and over the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran. Iran War Live Updates » | Yan Zhuang, Jonathan Swan and Abdi Latif Dahir | Sunday, June 14, 2026
It was unclear early Sunday when or whether the United States and Iran might sign a peace agreement, after President Trump and Tehran offered conflicting timelines.
Mr. Trump said in a social media post on Saturday that a deal was “scheduled to get signed” the next day and that it would immediately open the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, a key mediator in the negotiations, had said in a post hours earlier that the finalization of an agreement was expected within 24 hours, followed by the “electronic signing of the peace deal.”
But Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said that a deal would not be signed on Sunday, though he left open the possibility that one could be in the coming days, according to the Iranian state news media.
Neither the United States nor Iran has shared text of the deal being considered, and it could still be derailed. American and Iranian officials have said that under a “memorandum of understanding,” Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, and the cease-fire that the two sides agreed to in April would be extended for 60 days.
During that period, both sides would commit to holding detailed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, where differences persist and neither side has shown much willingness to compromise, and over the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran. Iran War Live Updates » | Yan Zhuang, Jonathan Swan and Abdi Latif Dahir | Sunday, June 14, 2026
Billows of Smoke
‘Suggestive Toothpaste Tubes Shooting into Mouths’: David Hockney’s Winking Celebration of Queer Life
THE GUARDIAN: He challenged homophobia not through sexualised imagery but by reshaping ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. The result? From posters to cushion covers, A Bigger Splash has become an essential presence in countless gay households
Screenshot is from this Guardian op-ed. | Highly controversial at the time’ … Peter Getting Out of Nick’s Pool, 1966. Photograph: Richard Schmidt/David Hockney
Six decades after David Hockney painted A Bigger Splash, his most famous painting, reproductions have become a visual motif in gay domestic life. I’ve seen framed posters, prints and postcards of the work – which captures the moment after a person jumps off a diving board into an otherwise still cyan blue swimming pool – in countless gay households. In my flat, it appears on a cushion cover that I bought after seeing the real thing at Hockney’s 2017 Tate Britain retrospective.
It’s fitting that A Bigger Splash is now emblematic of this pioneer. As an out gay artist who depicted same-sex desire in his work long before male homosexuality was partly decriminalised in England and Wales, Hockney and his paintings challenged the homophobia within the artistic establishment and beyond. And he did so not through the use of highly sexualised imagery, like the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, or with the activist themes of painter Keith Haring, but by reshaping our ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. That’s how he made the biggest splash.
In 1961, when a student at London’s Royal College of Art, Hockney painted one of the earliest expressions of queer identity in British art. We Two Boys Together Clinging is a childlike painting that shows two figures embracing – and perhaps kissing. The title, which is unavoidably written across the painting, stems from a poem by Walt Whitman that had long been embraced by gay readers for its characterisation of physical closeness and companionship between men. It’s a reference that only some viewers would understand, which was obscure enough to avoid censorship laws at the time. » | Louis Staples | Sunday, June 14, 2026
More on David Hockney here, here, here, and here.
Six decades after David Hockney painted A Bigger Splash, his most famous painting, reproductions have become a visual motif in gay domestic life. I’ve seen framed posters, prints and postcards of the work – which captures the moment after a person jumps off a diving board into an otherwise still cyan blue swimming pool – in countless gay households. In my flat, it appears on a cushion cover that I bought after seeing the real thing at Hockney’s 2017 Tate Britain retrospective.
It’s fitting that A Bigger Splash is now emblematic of this pioneer. As an out gay artist who depicted same-sex desire in his work long before male homosexuality was partly decriminalised in England and Wales, Hockney and his paintings challenged the homophobia within the artistic establishment and beyond. And he did so not through the use of highly sexualised imagery, like the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, or with the activist themes of painter Keith Haring, but by reshaping our ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. That’s how he made the biggest splash.
In 1961, when a student at London’s Royal College of Art, Hockney painted one of the earliest expressions of queer identity in British art. We Two Boys Together Clinging is a childlike painting that shows two figures embracing – and perhaps kissing. The title, which is unavoidably written across the painting, stems from a poem by Walt Whitman that had long been embraced by gay readers for its characterisation of physical closeness and companionship between men. It’s a reference that only some viewers would understand, which was obscure enough to avoid censorship laws at the time. » | Louis Staples | Sunday, June 14, 2026
More on David Hockney here, here, here, and here.
Tommy Robinson Detained at Heathrow under Counter-Terrorism Laws
THE GUARDIAN: Police stop comes after far-right activist rose to further prominence on social media amid racial tensions in Britain
Tommy Robinson was detained by police on Saturday at Heathrow airport under counter-terrorism laws, after a week in which he rose to further prominence on social media.
It was understood the far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped and had his phones seized under section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019.
Robinson used social media to claim he was detained for almost three hours and had his iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones taken, and to ask his supporters to donate money to fund his legal defence. » | Charlie Moloney | Sunday, June 12, 2026
Tommy Robinson was detained by police on Saturday at Heathrow airport under counter-terrorism laws, after a week in which he rose to further prominence on social media.
It was understood the far-right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped and had his phones seized under section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019.
Robinson used social media to claim he was detained for almost three hours and had his iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones taken, and to ask his supporters to donate money to fund his legal defence. » | Charlie Moloney | Sunday, June 12, 2026
Saturday, June 13, 2026
‘He Outlived Four of His Doctors’: David Hockney’s lLfelong Love of Smoking – and the 2,000 Cigarettes He Kept At Home ‘for Emergencies’
THE GUARDIAN: His passion got him into scraps with the Paris Metro and numerous other bodies. Was it a social crutch? A Freudian response to his father? And why did he take such delight in writing to the Guardian about it all?
This screenshot is from this Guardian article. | He wore a badge saying: ‘End bossiness soon’ … Hockney smokes a cigarette as he campaigns at a Labour Party conference. Photograph: Chris Ison/PA
David Hockney’s last self-portrait that went on show while he lived, in 2025’s Paris retrospective, has a Droste effect: the figure holds a picture in which the figure holds a picture. Between the fingers of one hand, a paintbrush; of the other, a cigarette. He could have been smoking and smoking and smoking into infinity. That’s the elemental truth of the work, and even while that turned out not to be literally true – he died this week, aged 88 – he gave it his best shot.
The painting is titled Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, and it got him into a scrap with the authorities of the Paris Metro, who said a photo of it couldn’t be used to advertise the show, since it contravened regulations – it is a pretty common rule that you’re not allowed to glamorise smoking lest you influence the young. “The bossiness of those in charge of our lives knows no limits,” he said at the time. “Art has always been a path to free expression and this is a dismal [decision].”
Bossiness was his bête noir – he often wore a badge that said: “End bossiness soon.” Whether or not the work really did glamorise the habit is an open question since, although nattily dressed in houndstooth, Hockney didn’t exactly look in rude health.
…
The smoking could have been an act of artistic self-fashioning, to join the ranks of other celebrated smokers – Picasso, Monet – to whom Hockney paid homage as fag forebears. But if you saw it as he did, you wouldn’t be looking for reasons. He smoked because he really loved smoking, and he did it all the time. » | Zoe Williams | Saturday, June 13, 2026
David Hockney – a life in pictures »
Peroxide mop, statement specs, tweed suits and quirky Crocs: David Hockney’s genius for fashion »
David Hockney’s last self-portrait that went on show while he lived, in 2025’s Paris retrospective, has a Droste effect: the figure holds a picture in which the figure holds a picture. Between the fingers of one hand, a paintbrush; of the other, a cigarette. He could have been smoking and smoking and smoking into infinity. That’s the elemental truth of the work, and even while that turned out not to be literally true – he died this week, aged 88 – he gave it his best shot.
The painting is titled Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, and it got him into a scrap with the authorities of the Paris Metro, who said a photo of it couldn’t be used to advertise the show, since it contravened regulations – it is a pretty common rule that you’re not allowed to glamorise smoking lest you influence the young. “The bossiness of those in charge of our lives knows no limits,” he said at the time. “Art has always been a path to free expression and this is a dismal [decision].”
Bossiness was his bête noir – he often wore a badge that said: “End bossiness soon.” Whether or not the work really did glamorise the habit is an open question since, although nattily dressed in houndstooth, Hockney didn’t exactly look in rude health.
…
The smoking could have been an act of artistic self-fashioning, to join the ranks of other celebrated smokers – Picasso, Monet – to whom Hockney paid homage as fag forebears. But if you saw it as he did, you wouldn’t be looking for reasons. He smoked because he really loved smoking, and he did it all the time. » | Zoe Williams | Saturday, June 13, 2026
David Hockney – a life in pictures »
Peroxide mop, statement specs, tweed suits and quirky Crocs: David Hockney’s genius for fashion »
Have You Ever Been Around Someone You Just Know Is Evil?’ Melinda French Gates on Meeting Jeffrey Epstein, Giving Away Billions, and Her Post-divorce Peace
THE GUARDIAN: The philanthropist always saw Epstein for who he really was – despite his meetings with her then husband Bill Gates. Now carving out a life on her own terms, she explains why she’s focused on the fight for women’s health
Melinda French Gates has entered a new phase of life, and it is “beautiful”, she says. It is five years since her painful, public divorce from the Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and two years since she stepped down from their charity, the Gates Foundation, to focus her full attention on Pivotal, the philanthropic organisation she founded in 2015 to promote women’s empowerment. Her three children have all left home, she goes by “Nonna” to her two granddaughters, and as an empty nester she finds herself in the strange position of having time on her hands.
She has started visiting her local independent bookshop more often, chatting to the staff about what she should read next; when she finishes work at five, she often texts a friend to meet for a walk, and they go exploring new neighbourhoods of Seattle, decaf coffees in hand. She no longer runs daily but insists on a morning stroll to enjoy the natural beauty of her adoptive home town, Lake Washington glittering in late-spring light. This morning, she saw a blue heron, she says, sounding almost boastful.
These seem remarkably modest hobbies for a woman with an estimated net worth of $30bn. When I point this out, she explains how a few years ago she read a quote about how “sometimes we go out in the world for discovery and to learn new things, but sometimes you just need to keep walking the path near you. Walk it over and over again, and you’ll start to see things.” After many years of frenetic international travel with the Gates Foundation, she is choosing the latter. » | Sophie McBain | Saturday, June 13, 2026
Bread : Lost Without Your Love
Selenskyj unterzeichnet Gesetz: Ukraine schafft Schutzstatus für russische Sprache ab
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die europäische Charta der Regional- und Minderheitensprachen soll in der Ukraine nicht mehr für Russisch gelten. Selenskyj unterzeichnete ein entsprechendes Gesetz.
Dieser Screenshot stammt aus diesem Artikel. | Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj | © Mindaugas Kulbis/AP/dpa
Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj hat ein Gesetz unterzeichnet, das die russische Sprache von der Liste der in der Ukraine geschützten Sprachen unter der Europäischen Charta der Regional- oder Minderheitensprachen streicht. Das geht aus Angaben des ukrainischen Parlaments hervor, wie die Kyiv Post berichtete. Es handelt sich um das Gesetz Nr. 4699-IX, mit dem Kiew die innerstaatliche Anwendung der Charta neu regelt.
Facebook als „folgerichtig“. Die „Sprache des Aggressorstaates“ solle nicht von Schutzmechanismen profitieren, die für Sprachen indigener Völker und nationaler Minderheiten geschaffen wurden. Die Ukraine entziehe „dem russischen imperialen Einfluss“ die Privilegien, die nach ukrainischer Ansicht über Jahre hinweg missbraucht wurden, hieß es in der Erklärung weiter. » | Anika Schlünz | Samstag, 13. Juni 2026
Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj hat ein Gesetz unterzeichnet, das die russische Sprache von der Liste der in der Ukraine geschützten Sprachen unter der Europäischen Charta der Regional- oder Minderheitensprachen streicht. Das geht aus Angaben des ukrainischen Parlaments hervor, wie die Kyiv Post berichtete. Es handelt sich um das Gesetz Nr. 4699-IX, mit dem Kiew die innerstaatliche Anwendung der Charta neu regelt.
Facebook als „folgerichtig“. Die „Sprache des Aggressorstaates“ solle nicht von Schutzmechanismen profitieren, die für Sprachen indigener Völker und nationaler Minderheiten geschaffen wurden. Die Ukraine entziehe „dem russischen imperialen Einfluss“ die Privilegien, die nach ukrainischer Ansicht über Jahre hinweg missbraucht wurden, hieß es in der Erklärung weiter. » | Anika Schlünz | Samstag, 13. Juni 2026
Trump Says Peace Deal Will be Signed Sunday, But Iran Disputes Timeline
THE NEW YORK TIMES: An Iranian foreign ministry official sought to temper expectations, saying there were no plans for a Sunday signing and an agreement could be inked in the coming days.
President Trump said that the United States and Iran would sign a peace deal on Sunday, though Iran’s foreign ministry publicly cautioned that the timeline could be slower.
“The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL,” Mr. Trump said in a post on his social media platform on Saturday. The post came hours after the prime minister of Pakistan, a key mediator in the negotiations, said the country was preparing for “the electronic signing of the peace deal” followed by “technical level talks next week.”
Neither the United States nor Iran has shared text of the initial deal being considered. But U.S. and Iranian officials have said that under a “memorandum of understanding,” Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and the current cease-fire would be extended for 60 days.
During that period, both sides would commit to holding detailed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, where differences persist and neither side has shown much willingness to compromise, and over the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Iran earlier on Saturday sought to temper expectations. Esmail Baghaei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said a deal would not be signed on Sunday, though he left open the possibility that one could be in the coming days, according to state media.
There is still the potential for even the initial memorandum of understanding to be derailed. Events overnight underscored the fragility of the moment.
U.S. forces intercepted and destroyed Iranian attack drones that were targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, military officials said.
Fighting has also persisted on Saturday in Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have been at war for more than 100 days as efforts to establish a lasting cease-fire have faltered. Iranian officials want the broader regional peace settlement to include the fighting in Lebanon and have called for the Israeli military to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Iran War Live Updates » | Jonathan Swan and Abdi Latif Dahir | Saturday, June 13, 2026
President Trump said that the United States and Iran would sign a peace deal on Sunday, though Iran’s foreign ministry publicly cautioned that the timeline could be slower.
“The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL,” Mr. Trump said in a post on his social media platform on Saturday. The post came hours after the prime minister of Pakistan, a key mediator in the negotiations, said the country was preparing for “the electronic signing of the peace deal” followed by “technical level talks next week.”
Neither the United States nor Iran has shared text of the initial deal being considered. But U.S. and Iranian officials have said that under a “memorandum of understanding,” Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and the current cease-fire would be extended for 60 days.
During that period, both sides would commit to holding detailed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, where differences persist and neither side has shown much willingness to compromise, and over the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Iran earlier on Saturday sought to temper expectations. Esmail Baghaei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said a deal would not be signed on Sunday, though he left open the possibility that one could be in the coming days, according to state media.
There is still the potential for even the initial memorandum of understanding to be derailed. Events overnight underscored the fragility of the moment.
U.S. forces intercepted and destroyed Iranian attack drones that were targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, military officials said.
Fighting has also persisted on Saturday in Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have been at war for more than 100 days as efforts to establish a lasting cease-fire have faltered. Iranian officials want the broader regional peace settlement to include the fighting in Lebanon and have called for the Israeli military to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Iran War Live Updates » | Jonathan Swan and Abdi Latif Dahir | Saturday, June 13, 2026
Wages Are Falling. Wealth Is Surging. No Wonder Americans Are Unhappy.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: As Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire, workers are facing higher prices and fears of A.I.-driven job losses.
Two events from the past week help crystallize this strange, contradictory moment for the U.S. economy.
On Wednesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the surge in energy prices had wiped out a year and a half of wage gains for the average American worker. On Friday, the public-markets debut of SpaceX made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
That stark juxtaposition helps explain why many Americans, in survey after survey, say they no longer believe the U.S. economy is working for them. A few people are getting fabulously, unimaginably wealthy at the same time that entire generations of families worry they will never be able to afford to buy a house, raise children or enjoy a comfortable retirement.
“I don’t think the stock market is necessarily causing” Americans’ pessimism about the economy, said Stefanie Stantcheva, a Harvard professor who studies public sentiment. “But I don’t think people are looking at it and are thinking, ‘Great, this means I’m going to do very well, too.’ It’s potentially reinforcing this feeling of ‘I’m falling behind.’”
Inequality is hardly a new feature in America. But the explosion of wealth at the very top is without precedent in U.S. history. At the height of the Gilded Age at the end of the 19th century, the richest handful of Americans had a net worth equivalent to about 3 percent of the country’s annual economic output, according to data compiled by the French economists Gabriel Zucman and Emmanuel Saez. Today, the fortunes of the same 0.00001 percent — about 20 individuals — make up roughly four times as large a share, equivalent to 12 percent of annual output.
Other economists, using different methodologies, come up with somewhat different numbers. But hardly anyone disputes the basic fact that the wealthiest few have made extraordinary gains in recent years. » | Ben Casselman | Ben Casselman is The Times’s chief economics correspondent. | Saturday, 13 June 2026
This is clear and glaring proof that Donald Trump is neither fit nor capable to lead the world’s leading and largest economy: the world’s hegemon.
The first lesson for any politician, especially one in a very powerful, leading position is that the economy must work for everyone — for the working classes, the middle classes, and the upper classes. An economy of whichever hue or stripe is always going to be fairer to some than to others. That is an inevitability, regardless of whether the economy is capitalist or socialist. But even so, it behoves politicians to understand that all people must get their fair share, their fair crack of the whip. When the nation’s wealth increases, especially when that increase in wealth is exceedingly substantial, then all should benefit, not just the favoured and blessed few at the top. Allowing such a scenario will be the harbinger of trouble and strife ahead. The people will tolerate this inequality for a while. In the short term, they have to. But their patience will run out at some point as sure as night turns into day.
Donald Trump would be wise to understand this. An ever rising stock market a sound and fair economy does not make! — © Mark Alexander
Two events from the past week help crystallize this strange, contradictory moment for the U.S. economy.
On Wednesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the surge in energy prices had wiped out a year and a half of wage gains for the average American worker. On Friday, the public-markets debut of SpaceX made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
That stark juxtaposition helps explain why many Americans, in survey after survey, say they no longer believe the U.S. economy is working for them. A few people are getting fabulously, unimaginably wealthy at the same time that entire generations of families worry they will never be able to afford to buy a house, raise children or enjoy a comfortable retirement.
“I don’t think the stock market is necessarily causing” Americans’ pessimism about the economy, said Stefanie Stantcheva, a Harvard professor who studies public sentiment. “But I don’t think people are looking at it and are thinking, ‘Great, this means I’m going to do very well, too.’ It’s potentially reinforcing this feeling of ‘I’m falling behind.’”
Inequality is hardly a new feature in America. But the explosion of wealth at the very top is without precedent in U.S. history. At the height of the Gilded Age at the end of the 19th century, the richest handful of Americans had a net worth equivalent to about 3 percent of the country’s annual economic output, according to data compiled by the French economists Gabriel Zucman and Emmanuel Saez. Today, the fortunes of the same 0.00001 percent — about 20 individuals — make up roughly four times as large a share, equivalent to 12 percent of annual output.
Other economists, using different methodologies, come up with somewhat different numbers. But hardly anyone disputes the basic fact that the wealthiest few have made extraordinary gains in recent years. » | Ben Casselman | Ben Casselman is The Times’s chief economics correspondent. | Saturday, 13 June 2026
This is clear and glaring proof that Donald Trump is neither fit nor capable to lead the world’s leading and largest economy: the world’s hegemon.
The first lesson for any politician, especially one in a very powerful, leading position is that the economy must work for everyone — for the working classes, the middle classes, and the upper classes. An economy of whichever hue or stripe is always going to be fairer to some than to others. That is an inevitability, regardless of whether the economy is capitalist or socialist. But even so, it behoves politicians to understand that all people must get their fair share, their fair crack of the whip. When the nation’s wealth increases, especially when that increase in wealth is exceedingly substantial, then all should benefit, not just the favoured and blessed few at the top. Allowing such a scenario will be the harbinger of trouble and strife ahead. The people will tolerate this inequality for a while. In the short term, they have to. But their patience will run out at some point as sure as night turns into day.
Donald Trump would be wise to understand this. An ever rising stock market a sound and fair economy does not make! — © Mark Alexander
The World of Monsieur Dior in His Own Words
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Giovanni Siracusa: Lemon Pork Chops: The Italian Way 🇮🇹🍋 | Scaloppine al limone.
April 4, 2026 | This is my go-to dinner when I’m short on time and want to keep the grocery bill under control.
If you've been wondering how to cook thin lemon pork cutlets so they stay juicy and tender, this is the only recipe you need. These chops are proof that you don't need expensive ingredients to make a GREAT authentic Italian meal. The best part? This one-pan recipe comes together in minutes for a fast and easy weeknight dinner.
I buy a pack of these thinly-cut cutlets every single week because they’re the perfect for a budget-friendly scallopine al limone. Whether you use pork, chicken, or veal, the technique is exactly the same.
You really can't go wrong with lemon, butter, and white wine! If you’ve been looking for a quick weeknight recipe that actually tastes fresh, this is it.
Click here for the full recipe. Then click on ‘more’.
If you've been wondering how to cook thin lemon pork cutlets so they stay juicy and tender, this is the only recipe you need. These chops are proof that you don't need expensive ingredients to make a GREAT authentic Italian meal. The best part? This one-pan recipe comes together in minutes for a fast and easy weeknight dinner.
I buy a pack of these thinly-cut cutlets every single week because they’re the perfect for a budget-friendly scallopine al limone. Whether you use pork, chicken, or veal, the technique is exactly the same.
You really can't go wrong with lemon, butter, and white wine! If you’ve been looking for a quick weeknight recipe that actually tastes fresh, this is it.
Click here for the full recipe. Then click on ‘more’.
Giovanni Siracusa: How to Make Easy Lemon Cookies 🍋 A Classic Italian Recipe
June 13, 2026 | Learn how to make the easiest Italian lemon cookies from scratch! They are not too sweet, there are not a lot of ingredients, and they go perfectly with a cup of coffee.
These soft, pillowy cookies, coated in powdered sugar, are a classic southern Italian tradition, and this recipe gives you 40 cookies in one batch, using simple pantry ingredients. So easy, anyone can make them!
These cookies have a fresh, zesty lemon flavor that makes them the perfect summer treat. Soft, light, and delicate with just the right amount of sweetness without being heavy. They are best enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee, or espresso, and they also make a perfect cookie for the holidays.
Click here for the recipe, then click on ‘more’.
These soft, pillowy cookies, coated in powdered sugar, are a classic southern Italian tradition, and this recipe gives you 40 cookies in one batch, using simple pantry ingredients. So easy, anyone can make them!
These cookies have a fresh, zesty lemon flavor that makes them the perfect summer treat. Soft, light, and delicate with just the right amount of sweetness without being heavy. They are best enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee, or espresso, and they also make a perfect cookie for the holidays.
Click here for the recipe, then click on ‘more’.
« Je condamne la violence mais je comprends la colère » : scandalisée par une tentative de meurtre, Belfast renoue avec les émeutes anti-immigration
LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE – La capitale nord-irlandaise a été le théâtre de violentes manifestations anti-étrangers à la suite d’une tentative de meurtre perpétrée par un réfugié soudanais. Des émeutes qui s’inscrivent dans une Irlande du Nord déjà fracturée par les tensions communautaires, sous tension face à la hausse de l’immigration.
Des violences survenues à Belfast, il ne reste pour trace que des épaves calcinées de voiture qui offrent à la bruine irlandaise des câbles de moteurs fondus, et des murs noircis par les flammes. À Newtownards Road, ce quartier protestant à l’est de la ville, les habitants les contournent à pas pressés avant de se claquemurer chez eux, rideaux tirés. Méfiance est de mise envers les curieux qui observent les dégâts causés par les flambées de violences anti-immigration, dont le quartier s’est fait le théâtre cette semaine.
La veille encore, des dizaines de manifestants cagoulés et masqués, armés de briques et de cocktails Molotov, ont incendié maisons et véhicules dans plusieurs quartiers de Belfast, majoritairement protestants, avant de s’éparpiller sous le canon à eau de la police nord-irlandaise, massivement mobilisée pour l’occasion. L’étincelle qui a mis le feu aux poudres fut l’agression ultraviolente survenue lundi soir, au cours de laquelle Hadi Alodid, réfugié soudanais en situation régulière, depuis inculpé pour tentative de meurtre, a tenté d’égorger un quadragénaire irlandais.
Les images choquantes de l’agression montrent le premier à califourchon sur les épaules du second, lacérant son visage à l’aide d’un couteau de cuisine. Massivement relayées sur les réseaux, elles ont fait s’embraser la ville. Les publications sur X du milliardaire américain Elon Musk ou de l’influenceur de droite radicale Tommy Robinson appelant aux rassemblements ont contribué à attiser les flammes et galvaniser les émeutiers. » | Par Jeanne Durieux, envoyée spéciale à Belfast (Irlande du Nord) | samedi 13 juin 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Jeremy Corbyn Speaks Out against an Israel-linked Real Estate Event Held in London
Is the US Economy Declining or Growing?
Elon Musk's Unchecked Power Is One More Sign of Rot in Trump's Regime.
How Is Mike Huckabee Allowed to Be US Ambassador To Israel?
Mike Huckabee? Another dim-witted, American, benighted clown! Does America have a bottomless supply of these stupid, bigoted MFers? — © Mark Alexander
We Witnessed the Devastating Effects of Trump's Oil Embargo on Cuba
Jun 8, 2026 | Often, the outages last for more than 24 hours, putting life on hold for those affected.
Cuba has endured decades of sanctions and trade restrictions, but the choking off of its oil supply, which comes almost entirely from Venezuela and Mexico, has left the country on the brink.
The Trump administration wants to coerce Cuba into accepting sweeping reforms, making it more aligned with the US and less aligned with countries like Russia.
Last month, John Ratcliffe, the head of the CIA, held a summit with senior Cuban officials, delivering a stark message: Allow real change or face military intervention.
Donald Trump said in March that he thinks he will have the "honour of taking Cuba" and has repeated his threats to topple the Communist government with increasing regularity.
Yet Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, remains intransigent - and ordinary Cubans are paying the price. Petrol is rationed to 20 litres a month per person, but on the black market, if they can find it, Cubans are paying more than £5 a litre for petrol. It means many of the classic 1950s vehicles, which have become a trademark of the tourist industry, lie stranded.
I burst into tears even watching this! This is proof, if proof were indeed needed, that those across the Pond are cruel swine! This is ideological warfare, pure and simple, the price of which innocent, ordinary and extremely poor Cubans have to pay the inordinately HUGE price. Such UNNECESSARY suffering! And stupid Americans believe that Trump is God’s latest prophet! How ridiculous! How thick! How benighted! How dopey can people be?
As far as I am concerned, this very spectacle, this very suffering draws into question whether there is a god at all! Still less an omnipotent one. For verily, if God truly exists, and He is omnipotent, then he must surely be an exceedingly CRUEL God to allow such suffering and misery to be caused by a self-centred, ruthless man He could so easily take home in the twinkling of an eye! — © Mark Alexander
Cuba has endured decades of sanctions and trade restrictions, but the choking off of its oil supply, which comes almost entirely from Venezuela and Mexico, has left the country on the brink.
The Trump administration wants to coerce Cuba into accepting sweeping reforms, making it more aligned with the US and less aligned with countries like Russia.
Last month, John Ratcliffe, the head of the CIA, held a summit with senior Cuban officials, delivering a stark message: Allow real change or face military intervention.
Donald Trump said in March that he thinks he will have the "honour of taking Cuba" and has repeated his threats to topple the Communist government with increasing regularity.
Yet Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, remains intransigent - and ordinary Cubans are paying the price. Petrol is rationed to 20 litres a month per person, but on the black market, if they can find it, Cubans are paying more than £5 a litre for petrol. It means many of the classic 1950s vehicles, which have become a trademark of the tourist industry, lie stranded.
I burst into tears even watching this! This is proof, if proof were indeed needed, that those across the Pond are cruel swine! This is ideological warfare, pure and simple, the price of which innocent, ordinary and extremely poor Cubans have to pay the inordinately HUGE price. Such UNNECESSARY suffering! And stupid Americans believe that Trump is God’s latest prophet! How ridiculous! How thick! How benighted! How dopey can people be?
As far as I am concerned, this very spectacle, this very suffering draws into question whether there is a god at all! Still less an omnipotent one. For verily, if God truly exists, and He is omnipotent, then he must surely be an exceedingly CRUEL God to allow such suffering and misery to be caused by a self-centred, ruthless man He could so easily take home in the twinkling of an eye! — © Mark Alexander
Elon Musk Will Be a Trillionaire ‘Fleetingly’ | Robert Watts
Jun 13, 2026 | “This is a valuation largely built on AI, and there are other more interesting businesses already making stronger advances.”
Elon Musk has been made a trillionaire, who is four times as rich anyone else on earth, by a valuation of SpaceX’s AI potential that is “north of a hundred times the annual revenue of the business,” says compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List Robert Watts.
Elon Musk has been made a trillionaire, who is four times as rich anyone else on earth, by a valuation of SpaceX’s AI potential that is “north of a hundred times the annual revenue of the business,” says compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List Robert Watts.
Rob Groves: The MAGA Plot to Divide Britain & Europe
June 13, 2026 | The Vice President of the United States, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio's State Department have all decided that British policing, British crime and British grief are their business.
In this video, I look at how the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton and a knife attack in Belfast have been seized on by MAGA's biggest names and amplified here at home by Nigel Farage and his even nastier rival Rupert Lowe — to import America's culture war straight onto Britain's streets.
Hillary Clinton would probably refer to these awful people as a “basket of deplorables”! And that is exactly what people like Farage and Rupert Lowe are: deplorable. That goes for those heartless and cruel swine across the Pond, too. — © Mark Alexander
In this video, I look at how the murder of Henry Nowak in Southampton and a knife attack in Belfast have been seized on by MAGA's biggest names and amplified here at home by Nigel Farage and his even nastier rival Rupert Lowe — to import America's culture war straight onto Britain's streets.
Hillary Clinton would probably refer to these awful people as a “basket of deplorables”! And that is exactly what people like Farage and Rupert Lowe are: deplorable. That goes for those heartless and cruel swine across the Pond, too. — © Mark Alexander
Should Switzerland Cap Its Population at 10 Million? Voters Will Decide.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: One of the world’s richest countries is about to hold a referendum on a measure that would curb migration and most likely the economy. It is being sold in warm tones.
This screenshot is from this NYT article. | Campaign posters ahead of the population cap vote. President Trump’s face is on a no poster, with the slogan, “Now, of all times, a break with Europe?” The yes slogan shown is “Protect Switzerland.” | Sebastien Bozon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
For 50 years, Walter Nef has carved toys and cheese boards from maple trees that grow near his quiet village outside Zurich, which seems louder to him by the day. There are more cars, more construction cranes, more people, and not just in this valley. Switzerland, Mr. Nef says, seems just about full.
That is why Mr. Nef says he supports a nationwide initiative, in an election this Sunday, to cap the resident population at 10 million. The measure aims to drastically reduce immigration as the country approaches that level, which it could reach in the next decade. But Mr. Nef, like many supporters, describes the measure less in terms of migrants than in terms of infrastructure, ecology and density.
“It is simply not good when an organism grows so fast,” Mr. Nef, 79, told me at his workshop this week.
The election on Sunday is a product of Switzerland’s form of direct democracy, which allows groups that can gather 100,000 signatures to send major policy questions to voters with relative ease, in a way that echoes states like California. Polls suggest a tight contest that could go either way.
It is the latest chapter in Europe’s backlash against migration, which has helped right-wing parties surge across the continent, including in Switzerland, a country with four official languages that has been shaped by migrants for nearly two and a half centuries.
But this chapter comes with several twists, starting with its sales pitch.
The measure was put to voters by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which has sent other anti-migration measures to the ballot in the past, including a successful effort to ban the construction of mosque minarets. This time, it has spent much of the campaign appealing to centrist voters’ concerns about traffic jams, crowded trains and high housing costs. It calls the measure a “sustainability initiative.” » | Jim Tankersley | Reporting from Zurich, Bern, Basel and Bauma, Switzerland | Saturday, June 13, 2026
How Capping Its Population at 10 Million Could Reshape Switzerland »
Swiss wait to hear result of ballot on capping population at 10 million: The far-right proposal would require the government to put restrictions in place to limit the population by 2050 »
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Macht die Schweiz den Deckel zu?: Die Abstimmung über eine Obergrenze der Bevölkerung von zehn Millionen lässt die Schweizer Wirtschaft zittern. Sie ist auf Arbeitskräfte aus dem Ausland angewiesen und fürchtet um den Zugang zum europäischen Binnenmarkt. » [€]
À LIRE AUSSI :
« Pas de Suisse à 10 millions d’habitants » : avant le référendum sur l’immigration, que disent les sondages ? : Attachés à la démocratie directe, les Suisses sont appelés aux urnes pour se prononcer sur une initiative visant à limiter l’expansion de la population. La démographie helvète a été bouleversée par l’immigration depuis 2002. »
For 50 years, Walter Nef has carved toys and cheese boards from maple trees that grow near his quiet village outside Zurich, which seems louder to him by the day. There are more cars, more construction cranes, more people, and not just in this valley. Switzerland, Mr. Nef says, seems just about full.
That is why Mr. Nef says he supports a nationwide initiative, in an election this Sunday, to cap the resident population at 10 million. The measure aims to drastically reduce immigration as the country approaches that level, which it could reach in the next decade. But Mr. Nef, like many supporters, describes the measure less in terms of migrants than in terms of infrastructure, ecology and density.
“It is simply not good when an organism grows so fast,” Mr. Nef, 79, told me at his workshop this week.
The election on Sunday is a product of Switzerland’s form of direct democracy, which allows groups that can gather 100,000 signatures to send major policy questions to voters with relative ease, in a way that echoes states like California. Polls suggest a tight contest that could go either way.
It is the latest chapter in Europe’s backlash against migration, which has helped right-wing parties surge across the continent, including in Switzerland, a country with four official languages that has been shaped by migrants for nearly two and a half centuries.
But this chapter comes with several twists, starting with its sales pitch.
The measure was put to voters by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which has sent other anti-migration measures to the ballot in the past, including a successful effort to ban the construction of mosque minarets. This time, it has spent much of the campaign appealing to centrist voters’ concerns about traffic jams, crowded trains and high housing costs. It calls the measure a “sustainability initiative.” » | Jim Tankersley | Reporting from Zurich, Bern, Basel and Bauma, Switzerland | Saturday, June 13, 2026
How Capping Its Population at 10 Million Could Reshape Switzerland »
Swiss wait to hear result of ballot on capping population at 10 million: The far-right proposal would require the government to put restrictions in place to limit the population by 2050 »
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Macht die Schweiz den Deckel zu?: Die Abstimmung über eine Obergrenze der Bevölkerung von zehn Millionen lässt die Schweizer Wirtschaft zittern. Sie ist auf Arbeitskräfte aus dem Ausland angewiesen und fürchtet um den Zugang zum europäischen Binnenmarkt. » [€]
À LIRE AUSSI :
« Pas de Suisse à 10 millions d’habitants » : avant le référendum sur l’immigration, que disent les sondages ? : Attachés à la démocratie directe, les Suisses sont appelés aux urnes pour se prononcer sur une initiative visant à limiter l’expansion de la population. La démographie helvète a été bouleversée par l’immigration depuis 2002. »
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