| Type | Journal |
|---|---|
| Format | Magazine |
| Owner | Weltwoche Verlag AG |
| Editor | Roger Köppel, publisher and editor-in-chief since November 2006 |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Political alignment | Classical liberalism, conservatism |
| Language | German |
| Headquarters | Zürich |
| Circulation | 91,213 (2005) |
| ISSN | 0043-2660 |
| Official website | www.weltwoche.ch |
Die Weltwoche ("The World Week") is a Swiss weekly magazine based in Zürich. It is privately owned by Roger Köppel. The magazine's regular columnists of note include the former president of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, Peter Bodenmann, as well as Christoph Mörgeli MP, a leading figure of the right wing of the nationalist Swiss People's Party, and cultural and social commentator Alexander, Count von Schönburg-Glauchau.
The magazine's editorial stance today is considered to range between economic liberalism and neo-conservatism - regularly along the lines of the Swiss People's Party as critics allege.[1][2]
Contents |
Founded 1933 as a weekly newspaper in the mold of French weeklies, it started off somewhat sympathetic to the Nazi government of Germany, but soon joined the other Swiss media in vigorously opposing it. After the war, it remained a fixture of the intellectual environment in Switzerland, publishing articles, columns and interviews on a wide range of topics, including politics, the economy, culture and science, generally from a center-left perspective.
In 2002, flagging sales prompted a shift in format from broadsheet to magazine, and a shift in political orientation from center-left to conservative.
In 2006, Roger Köppel bought the title from the former owner, the publisher Jean Frey AG (which was itself taken over by the German publisher Axel Springer).
Already distinguishing itself somewhat from the generally center-left Swiss media by its general orientation, the magazine is now especially noted for its interviews with controversial public figures and for the diversity of opinion represented in its pages, with a dominant right-wing view however. For instance, virtually alone among Swiss publications, Die Weltwoche in 2003 and 2004 printed lengthy articles mainly arguing for the 2003 invasion of Iraq or the reelection of George W. Bush to the U.S. presidency.
In 2004 and 2005, sales began to flag again after the editorial line, particularly as relating to Swiss domestic policy, was perceived to be approaching the positions of the right-wing Swiss People's Party. This also led to unrest among the magazine's politically diverse staff and to the replacements of several editors-in-chief.
On January 12, 2006, Die Weltwoche was the first German-speaking publication to reprint some of the controversial cartoons of the prophet Muhammad originally published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
The accession of Switzerland to the European Union is rejected by the editorial staff, as was Swiss acceptance of the Schengen Agreement.[3] The Weltwoche also represents the view that welfare and other state-administered assistance programs are inherently flawed. It is, therefore, entirely pointless to hold a discussion concerning "abuse of the welfare state," as these flaws cannot be removed from the system. The system itself is unreformable.[4]
The magazine is somewhat anti-statist and against an expanison of the welfare state. It also rejects state-subsidized nurseries and childcare.[5][6]
In keeping with its neo-conservative and anti-mainstream positions, the Weltwoche is also skeptical of global warming and has denounced recent "alarmism" surrounding environmental issues.[7] Internationally – outside of Europe – the Weltwoche often represents pro-American and pro-Israeli positions.
On the 12th of May, 2010, the main title of the weekly edition of the Weltwoche was : "Must Islam be Banned? - The religion of the muslims is not compatible with the Swiss Constitution."[8]