John Valley

Promotionne un système politique éthique, collégial et proche des citoyens, favorisant la confiance et la souveraineté citoyenne. 🇨🇭🇨🇦⚜️

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Il est temps de préciser que je ne suis ni un "pirate" ni un "complotiste". Parce que j'aime le Québec, ma nouvelle terre d'accueil, je désire modestement faire découvrir l'opportunité d'une démocratie directe comme je l'ai vécue pendant 43 ans en Suisse.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

C'est magnifique de voir les premières nations donner une leçon de démocratie au Québec et au Canada! Bravo!!
https://t.co/ifEbkpexVh

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@Gab_Hardy Donner la parole aux citoyens ... c'est la démocratie directe et les référendums (contraignants) tel que pratiqué en Suisse. Ce que vous faites est vraiment bien avec le système actuel!

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@contact_podcast Pourquoi la France est le seul allié? La Suisse qui veut garder son indépendance face à l'UE, sa démocratie directe qui serait magnifique pour le Québec ... Elle serait une magnifique alliée et inspiration.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

La vraie acceptabilité sociale c'est la démocratie directe. Les citoyens sont souverains. En Suisse cela fonctionne depuis longtemps et cela en a fait un pays riche et innovant. Je crois bien plus en l'intelligence collective que dans celle de politiciens avec le système actuel!

[Dimitris Soudas 🇨🇦⚜️🇬🇷☦️ 13.12.1943 @DimitrisSoudas]

Mme. Acceptabilité Sociale.

Ma définition.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@DimitrisSoudas La vraie acceptabilité sociale c'est la démocratie directe. Les citoyens sont souverains. En Suisse cela fonctionne depuis la nuit des temps et cela en a fait un pays riche. Je crois bien plus en l'intelligence collective que dans celle de politiciens avec le système actuel!

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Le système politique Suisse vu de la France ... et au Québec? Au Canada? https://t.co/pyBX4X92H0

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@Gaspard_Skoda C'est la raison pour laquelle la Suisse n'en fait pas partie car son système politique est totalement incompatible. C'est aussi pour cela que j'aimerais tant que le Québec s'en inspire avant que ce dernier bastion de vraie démocratie tombe ...

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@catgau @PYMcsween Le Congo a déployé une initiative de monnaie numérique souveraine adossée à l'or physique (https://t.co/E4rAK1CBZS) j'aimerais beaucoup savoir si cette approche serait intéressante pour le Québec avec nos richesses naturelles ...

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@mbockcote Magnifique intervention! Si seulement un jour le modèle de démocratie directe "Suisse" pouvait être exploré sérieusement afin qu'il puisse être adapté et copié à travers le monde avant que ce dernier bastion où le peuple est réellement souverain ne disparaisse.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Plus les crises dans le monde s'aggravent, plus la Suisse est montrée en exemple! https://t.co/iYF1jYnMvX

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Tellement fier de la Suisse, de ce que la politique devrait être dans le monde entier! Confronter des idées tout en se respectant... https://t.co/HVxo9qsSlt

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@echipiuk Sorry, I don't have the same vision of a sick world around me. However, I agree with you about "big pharma" and what we are made to eat because of the "Monsanto's" of this world. Their lobbies are extremely powerful and it's certain that it's not in our favor.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@echipiuk Asking for more information is all well and good. But there's a world of difference between turning a doubt into dubious information against the entire medical community.

[Direct Democracy Gregory @DirectDemToday]

DON'T HATE - DEBATE - HOW SWISS STYLE #DIRECTDEMOCRACY SEARCHES FOR THE BEST SOLUTIONS

In the Swiss system of direct democracy, debate is not an accessory to the political process—it is its very foundation. Switzerland’s unique model is shaped not only by regular votes and referenda, but by a deeply embedded culture of dialogue that extends from the federal government, where seven federal councillors govern by consensus, to the cantonal and communal levels where ordinary citizens are empowered to directly shape policy.

This structure reflects an enduring commitment to discussion over confrontation, participation over delegation, and consensus over partisanship.

At the federal level, the Swiss Federal Council, comprised of seven ministers from different political parties, operates as a collective executive without a dominant head of state.

Collegiality
The collegiality principle ensures that decisions are made jointly, behind closed doors, requiring debate, compromise, and a shared responsibility that discourages political grandstanding.

Adversarial
Unlike the often adversarial nature of parliaments in representative systems, where opposition parties frequently resort to rhetorical attacks or obstruction and where debate can resemble theatre rather than genuine dialogue, the Swiss system fosters a quieter but deeper negotiation.

Common Ground
Ministers do not campaign against one another or attempt to score political points in public; they must instead find common ground. This not only tones down hostility but also models a deliberative process to the rest of the political structure.

Citizens at the heart
In the cantons and communes, this ethos is reflected in mechanisms that bring political participation directly to citizens. Every Swiss citizen has the right to propose changes to laws or the constitution through initiatives, and to challenge parliamentary decisions through referenda.

These tools are not simply procedural; they are democratic invitations to public debate. Before every vote, a broad public campaign unfolds, often featuring extensive media coverage, informational booklets from the government outlining both sides of an issue, and spirited but civil debates in town halls, newspapers, television, and increasingly on social media.

The people as sovereign
The right to launch a referendum or initiative is not limited to the political elite. It is this dispersal of power—where sovereignty truly resides with the people—that ensures a continual churning of ideas from every level of society.

Historically, the Swiss tradition of deliberative democracy finds its roots in the medieval Landsgemeinde, open-air assemblies in alpine valleys where free farmers gathered to debate and vote by a show of hands.

This model has been modernized but not abandoned. The spirit of the Landsgemeinde—deliberation among equals—survives in the communal assemblies still held in some cantons, and more broadly in the national political psyche.

Citizens have the FIRST & LAST word
These assemblies underline a profound belief that policy must be shaped with the direct input of those it affects, and that disagreement is not a sign of dysfunction but a step toward consensus.

Central to this is the principle of free speech. Without freedom of expression, no meaningful debate is possible. In Switzerland, this freedom is not merely a legal right; it is a civic necessity.

Public debates, citizen forums, and political campaigns thrive in a space where opposing views can be aired respectfully and taken seriously.

Mere theatre
This stands in sharp contrast to many representative democracies where the parliamentary floor often becomes a battleground of rehearsed soundbites and pre-scripted outrage, and where meaningful engagement with alternative viewpoints is rare. In such systems, the appearance of debate often masks a lack of genuine deliberation.

Democratic tool-box
Switzerland’s tools of direct democracy—initiatives, referenda, and communal assemblies—are powerful not only because they give people a say, but because they compel debate at all levels of society. Issues must be explained, justified, and defended.

Structured ongoing dialogue rather than once every four years engagement with citizens
Politicians must engage with the public not just during elections, but continuously. This regular and structured dialogue enhances transparency and accountability, fostering a level of trust that is increasingly rare in modern democracies.

The highest ranked in trust levels globally
Swiss citizens trust their government at national, cantonal and communal levels more than in many countries, not because it is infallible, but because the mechanisms exits within the Swiss system whereby government at the three levels listens, adjusts, and reflects the diverse voices of its people.

In summary, Swiss-style debate is a living process spread across the federal, cantonal, and communal levels. However, it is clearly enabled by democratic tools that prioritize citizen involvement, grounded in historical practices of public assembly, and kept alive through a deep respect for free expression.

This environment of constant, constructive debate ensures that decisions are better informed, more legitimate, and widely accepted.

It transforms governance from a spectacle of division into a practice of shared responsibility, benefitting society by creating a resilient democratic culture where every voice has the space to be heard.

In Swiss-style direct democracy, citizens are not only voters but active participants in shaping laws and policies, which ensures that public debate lies at the core of decision-making.

Because initiatives and referendums allow people to bring forward issues of genuine concern, political engagement is anchored in real-life questions that matter to communities rather than abstract party agendas.

The process of open discussion, persuasion, and compromise across society leads to outcomes that reflect a broader consensus and are therefore more legitimate, durable, and closely aligned with the needs of citizens.

Although not perfect, it is hardly surprising that Switzerland consistently ranks at the very top of most global indices—whether in crime reduction, citizen happiness, health, economic strength, safety, wealth, or trust in government—often taking first place, sometimes third, and occasionally fourth. It suggests the Swiss may hold lessons from which we could all benefit.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@ValerieHayer Cela s'appelle la démocratie directe, la Suisse la pratique avec une grande réussite vu les assauts continus de votre Europe pour la briser!

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Une personne m'a fait découvrir ceci et je trouve l'approche très intéressante dans la situation géopolitique actuelle où les médias sont de plus en plus biaisé politiquement https://t.co/HEQLcQ03aD. Pourrait-on avoir cela au Canada?

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

Belle initiative!

[Paul St-Pierre Plamondon @PaulPlamondon]

Pour visionner l'intégralité de la conférence, c'est ici.

https://t.co/8yPKgeHP6q

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@DimitrisSoudas Vous êtes le premier à aller dans ce sens, cela fait plaisir. Il est temps de faire un pas de recul et de se demander ce qui a pu amener les USA dans une abomination pareille ... et veiller que le Canada ne prenne pas les mêmes dérives. https://t.co/HDkBWXHEq4

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@frankdedomiseur Ce qui me trouble c'est que personne ne prend un pas de recul en constatant simplement, avec tristesse, ce qu'il se passe aux USA en se demandant comment ils en sont arrivés là ... et comment faire pour que cela n'arrive pas au Canada.

[John Valley @BeGood_Geneva]

@MarcNixon24 I'd prefer Canada to look with sadness at what the USA has become, take a step back and ask itself how it got to this point, and not repeat the same mistakes.