Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Will you be watching the 2023 rugby World Cup, which kicks off in Paris tonight? Sadly once again Switzerland didn’t qualify, but never say never. Here is more on that and on other news and stories from Switzerland on Friday.

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In the news:  The Greta effect in Switzerland, rising healthcare costs, and tough conditions for exporters.

• Some 30% of Swiss people have changed their everyday habits because of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg’s “Fridays for Future” movement, according to a study. Most of the perceived changes inspired by Thunberg (pictured) concerned transport, buying habits and recycling. For example, about a third of the respondents said they were now more likely to look for alternatives to driving to work. They would also look for local organic products, eat more vegetarian meals and choose holiday destinations closer to home so they don’t have to fly.
• Healthcare costs will continue to rise next year, Health Minister Alain Berset has warned. “It’s all going in the wrong direction,” he said, criticising the cantons and interest groups active in the healthcare sector for “helping each other to prevent cost-cutting reforms”.
• More grim news. Difficult conditions in important export markets such as Germany and China will weigh on the Swiss economy in the coming months, according to Swiss Life economists, who have revised their growth forecasts downwards.

Suisse Rugby

The 2023 rugby World Cup kicks off in Paris tonight at 9.15pm local time. Switzerland is sadly not one of the 20 teams taking partExternal link, but that doesn’t mean rugby isn’t played in the Alpine nation.

The Swiss Rugby FederationExternal link was founded in 1972 and more than 50 rugby clubsExternal link are dotted around the country. The Swiss team (pictured, in action against Germany) are currently 28^th in the world rankingsExternal link, sandwiched between the Netherlands and Belgium (and four places above Germany). But this seemingly decent ranking is deceptive; while football has conquered the world, rugby has only been able to gain a real foothold in a few non-Anglophone countries, primarily France, Argentina and Italy.

One of the biggest challenges for the international federation is to close the gap between the small, amateur nations – such as Switzerland – and the big, professional ones, where star players can earn millions. Being beaten by more than 100 points, such as the 142-0 drubbing handed out by Australia to Namibia at the 2003 World Cup, is a waste of everyone’s time.

So how healthy is Swiss rugby? “Junior players in Switzerland have established themselves well. We’ve got a very strong under-18 and under-19 squad, with good results – we also hosted the under-19 European championships in Magglingen,” said Kurt KöhlExternal link, the rugby expert for Swiss public television, SRF. “We might not be the best in Europe – when we play against France and Italy for example that’s clear – but Switzerland has established itself relatively well in the upper tiers [of European rugby].”

Köhl points out that “there’s not much missing” between 28^th-ranked Switzerland and some teams that are playing in the World Cup (Chile is ranked 22^nd), “but a lot more development work is necessary. There are too few licensed players and the pyramid is simply too small for good players”.

What are the chances of the White Flowers, as the Swiss team is nicknamed, appearing at a World Cup, which takes place every four years? “In the next eight years I definitely don’t see any possibility – for the men’s team. For the women the possibility exists because the route is shorter.”

© Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott

Voters in southern Switzerland are deciding this Sunday whether to accelerate the construction of large solar farms in the mountains. Our explainer lays out the issues and what’s at stake.

Solar panels on peaks could produce lots of extra power, especially in winter, supporters say. But environmental groups contest the growing number of planned projects. This article by Simon Bradley examines the arguments further, looks at where Alpine solar parks may be built in Switzerland, and considers what could happen after Sunday’s vote.