Swiss foreign minister calls on media to defend democracy

Concerned about democracy, Ignazio Cassis appeals to the media Keystone-SDA

Speaking at the Swiss Media Forum, foreign minister Ignazio Cassis said the media has a vital role to play in the preservation of democracy.

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Cassis expressed his deep concern about the declining support for democracy around the world, including in well-established systems.

“The institutions of the rule of law are being weakened in the name of democracy, and democratic rights are being restricted in the name of the dominant ideology”, Cassis said.

He pointed out that the democracy index had fallen again last year. Only 6.6% of humanity lives in a fully functional democracy. In 2024, more than 4 billion people were called to the polls in 73 states, with a “demoralising” result: none of the parties in power recorded any progress.

Cassis said that democracy is based on constructive dialogue between different opinions. In this context, he pointed to the responsibility of the tech giants. They “rely on algorithms that deliberately stir up indignation, because indignation generates more clicks than moderation.”

This development not only deprives the traditional media of advertising revenue, but also fuels the polarisation of society, he added.

Internal compass

Cassis also attacked artificial intelligence (AI) and bots, which pretend to be human beings. This technology “offers populists and manipulators new tools to spread lies disguised as truths”, he asserted.

He called on the media to strengthen citizens’ political judgement. Their essential mission must be to inform, to put things into perspective and to exercise control.

These three functions are essential. “I know, of course, that you prefer to exercise control, a little less the perspective, and even less the simple information – perhaps also because the latter elicits the least response. But it’s the latter that deserves special attention.

The media are the “guardians of discernment, the inner compass that a direct democracy needs more than ever”, said Cassis. He urged the media to live up to this responsibility.

Translated from French by DeepL/mga

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