Swissinfo under pressure: a question of political will
The Swiss Abroad often experience polarising debates about their political co-determination. Swissinfo builds important bridges to their homeland, but the service is threatened by planned federal cuts.
Should the Swiss Abroad have more political influence? This question has sparked a heated debate on the dialogue platform of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). “Yes, give them more of a say,” declared one respondent. “People who have lived in different countries are much wiser. They have a better understanding of different cultures and of where the world stands at a certain time.”
Others were more critical: “In my opinion, anyone who has lived outside Switzerland for more than a year should not be allowed to vote until they return.”
The Swiss Abroad are well aware that their political rights at home can be polarising. Accusations of freeloading, debates over access to social benefits, and concerns about their growing numbers and potential influence on voting outcomes often stir controversy. Living far from home yet still retaining the right to vote raises thorny questions about belonging, fairness and solidarity. In such emotionally charged discussions, the Swiss Abroad find themselves increasingly in the glare of both media scrutiny and political debate.
Government wants to cut services for Swiss Abroad by half
Hence, it is all the more important to provide consistent and factual reporting, not just about but for the Swiss Abroad. Reporting that is nuanced, contextualised and open to dialogue. This information mandate is enshrined in law. Founded in 1935 as Swiss Radio International, Swissinfo fulfils this role today as a digital platform in ten languages. It receives around 45 million website visits per year, and significantly more during times of crisis.
Why does this matter in democratic terms? The Swiss Abroad often feel the impact of political decisions in ways that differ from their peers at home. Take, for example, the abolition of child pensions or the provision of supplementary benefits to hardship cases in Switzerland – support that does not exist abroad. And when the Swiss Abroad cast their votes differently from voters at home, it inevitably draws attention, and sometimes controversy, back in Switzerland.
However, this tried-and-tested and legally anchored service for Swiss expats is now under intense political pressure. From 2027, the government plans to entirely cut federal subsidies for the SBC’s international service as part of its 2027 relief package. This would effectively halve the budget, which would have serious ramifications for the basic media coverage for the Swiss Abroad as well as for Switzerland’s presence and sovereignty in the global network.
A coalition of organisations, associations and private individuals is opposing the government’s plans to abolish the federal contribution to the SBC’s foreign mandate.
Without this aid, Swissinfo’s very existence is threatened, the coalition warnsExternal link. The coalition has launched a petitionExternal link to save Swissinfo and the SBC’s mandate abroad.
For its part, the SBC reiteratedExternal link that it had “clearly stated its opposition to the abolition of this contribution during the consultation process”, because “without the Confederation’s participation, the foreign mandate would lose its legitimacy”. It added that “because of the reduction in the media licence fee from 2027, the SBC will already have to implement drastic cost-cutting measures, which will also affect the foreign mandate”.
Source: Keystone-ATS
Reality of life instead of ratings
Swissinfo is a democratic tool for Switzerland. Stories about Swiss emigrants may draw big audiences at home, but they do not meet the information needs of the community itself.
“That often has little to do with our reality,” a Swiss woman living abroad recently told me. Those following political events from afar need context, analysis, and a concise, overarching view of Switzerland.
Swissinfo is the international online platform of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), providing Swiss news in ten languages for an international audience interested in Switzerland as well as for the Swiss Abroad. Since 1935, we have been providing independent and in-depth reporting on global issues, showing different perspectives and promoting intercultural dialogue.
Swissinfo provides this exactly where it is needed and enables the Swiss Abroad to exercise their political rights in an informed way. It offers daily news briefings, exchange and a community network with its own perspectives, concerns and needs. All this is unique in the media landscape. It’s not a luxury, but a necessity.
A canton without media?
A canton without its own media would be unthinkable in a modern democracy. In terms of numbers, the 830,000 Swiss expats make up Switzerland’s fourth largest “canton”. Artificial intelligence may offer technical possibilities, but a translation button alone does not turn a news broadcast into a meaningful report for people who have lived abroad for decades or who were born and bred overseas but still hold a Swiss passport.
Swissinfo doesn’t just translate the language, it conveys Swiss culture and politics. This bridge-building role is lost when content is technically accessible but lacks context. Commercial, private media are not in a position to take on this task.
The Swiss Abroad are part of Switzerland’s democratic diversity. The community needs strong media such as Swissinfo and the Swiss Revue magazine published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) – not only in times of public outrage, but on a permanent basis. These aspects have not been given sufficient consideration in the 2027 relief package. Parliament will have the opportunity to correct this course this autumn.
Larissa M. Bieler grew up in Bonaduz in canton Graubünden. In 2007 she graduated from the University of Zurich with a degree in linguistics, management and economics, and political science. After she graduated, she worked at the University of Zurich and at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in Paris. During and after her studies, she worked as a freelance journalist for many years.
In 2013 Larissa M. Bieler became editor-in-chief of the Bündner Tagblatt. In January 2016 she joined the SBC as editor-in-chief of Swissinfo. In 2018 she became director of Swissinfo and has been a member of the SBC’s executive board since 2022.
Adapted from German by Billi Bierling/ts
More
The SWIplus app: your connection to Switzerland
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
