Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter makes official visit to Austria

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter (left) and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, Austria, January 17, 2025. Keystone-SDA

Karin Keller-Sutter, who took over the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has made her first official visit abroad as president to Austria.

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The new Swiss president met her counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, in Vienna on Friday. Talks centred on relations between the two countries, European policy and bilateral relations with the European Union.

Discussions also focused on the security situation in Europe and the role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which Switzerland will chair in 2026.

Keller Sutter, who is also Swiss finance minister, reaffirmed the importance of the OSCE, whose role is to enable exchanges between numerous countries aimed at better overcoming conflicts, she said.

As Donald Trump prepares to take office as the new US president next week, the Swiss president called for open and constructive discussions to continue to ensure a fruitful exchange.

Far-right parties in Europe

Swiss political scientist Oscar Mazzoleni told the Keystone-SDA news agency that the new US administration’s protectionist stance and the growing importance of far-right parties in Europe are opening up a new phase in the EU’s history.

This is putting pressure on the Schengen Agreement, internal border controls and, more broadly, the weight of national governments, he noted. This also casts doubt on the bilateral agreements under discussion with Switzerland, said Mazzoleni.

Austria’s president also outlined the latest developments in domestic politics and the process of forming a government. The leader of the far-right FPÖ party, Herbert Kickl, is negotiating with the conservatives to form a government.

Against the backdrop of the rise of far-right parties, Mazzoleni also spoke of Switzerland’s encirclement by countries where far-right political groups have the wind in their sails.

He pointed out that “the growing international circulation of extreme right-wing ideas and political styles can undoubtedly have an impact on parties and movements in Switzerland”. In this context, the media have a role to play.

He cited in particular the shift of the NZZ newspaper, traditionally linked to moderate liberalism, to the right.

“The praise for Trump, [Argentinian President Javier] Milei and [tech entrepreneur Elon] Musk to be found on the pages of this daily may help to reinforce the opportunities that the Swiss People’s Party or other parties may seize in the near future,” said Mazzoleni.

Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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