Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
For months, parliamentary journalists have been speculating about the departure of Economics Minister Guy Parmelin. Since he announced on Friday that he is stepping down from the Federal Council, attention has swiftly shifted to the race to succeed him. In the corridors of the Federal Palace media centre, the discussion is now all about the potential candidates.
Man or woman? French-speaking or German-speaking? A hardliner or a consensus-builder? Questions abound. The answers, however, will take a little longer to emerge, as no one has yet officially announced their candidacy.
Best regards from Bern,
Since Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced his resignation on Friday, the media have been awash with speculation about who might replace him. The outgoing economics minister, meanwhile, has made clear that he would like to see a woman elected.
In an interview with CH Media newspaper, Parmelin said several female politicians would be well suited for the role. The Swiss People’s Party politician named three potential successors: Geneva parliamentarian Céline Amaudruz, St Gallen Senator Esther Friedli and Zurich Health Minister Natalie Rickli. All three have already been cited by the media as potential candidates.
Parmelin also lamented what he sees as persistent prejudices against female candidates. “Questions such as ‘Who looks after the children?’ reflect an outdated and highly conservative mindset,” he said. “We have long seen what women can achieve when they are given the opportunity.”
Another issue dominating coverage is whether the seat should remain in French-speaking Switzerland. Parmelin was the first French-speaking People’s Party politician to be elected to the Federal Council and has said he would like to see a French-speaking Swiss to succeed him. German-speaking members of his party, however, are keen to reclaim the seat. Politicians from French-speaking Switzerland are expected to fight hard to avoid a situation in which Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider remains the only French-speaking member of the federal government.
At the defence ministry, one fiasco seems to follow another. A second air-defence missile project has now run into difficulties, despite being intended to compensate for delays to the Patriot missile system and being considered crucial to Switzerland’s security.
The system, known as Bodluv GR2, was originally expected to arrive by the end of the year. However, according to research by Blick, the defence ministry has informed the two competing suppliers, France and Israel, that it needs more time before making a decision. As demand for such systems is rising worldwide, the delay could ultimately push up costs.
The situation is causing concern because the new system was meant to compensate for delays to the US-made Patriot system. Switzerland has already ordered Patriots, but deliveries are now expected five to seven years later than planned. If Switzerland were to come under attack from ballistic missiles, it would therefore have major gaps in its defences. Strategic infrastructure such as the federal parliament building and the electricity grid could be left exposed.
According to Blick, Armasuisse currently favours the Israeli system. Yet this option could further complicate the situation and may struggle to secure majority support in parliament. Given Israel’s involvement in conflict in the Middle East, opposition could emerge from both the left and the right. And if the French system is turned down, Switzerland risks once again upsetting Paris, just as it did when it chose the F-35 fighter jet over France’s Rafale aircraft.
Barbershops in French-speaking Switzerland have become the focus of legal proceedings involving alleged money laundering linked to drug trafficking. The rapid growth of the sector is also prompting broader questions about the legality of some businesses.
Behind their fashionable image, the W* barbershop chains are alleged to have concealed a network used to launder money from drug trafficking, according to a report by Swiss public broadcaster RTS. Former owners of two chains operating in Lausanne and Geneva are accused of involvement in a major drug trafficking operation. Court documents reportedly state that the company “was operated for the sole purpose of laundering money derived from drug trafficking”.
The case is unusual in Switzerland. Although barbershops are sometimes viewed with suspicion, legal cases before the courts are rare. In neighbouring France and Germany, however, the phenomenon is more widespread and police have repeatedly warned about criminal groups using such businesses as fronts.
Across Switzerland, a number of barbershops have appeared empty for years, yet have not actually closed down. RTS identified several establishments that appear to have too few customers to be profitable. The sector is also attracting the attention of the Federal Office of Police, which fears that some of businesses may be used to conceal criminal activities linked to organised crime networks.
A Swiss woman living abroad currently holds the distinction of being the oldest person in both France and Switzerland. Franco-Swiss national Madeleine Dellamonica celebrated her 114th birthday on July 23.
On Saturday, local authorities in Le Vésinet, near Paris, organised a small celebration to honour France’s oldest resident. The Swiss Consulate in Paris confirmed that she is also the oldest living Swiss citizen. Born in Paris in 1912 and married to a Franco-Ticinese man in 1933, Dellamonica devoted much of her life to Egyptology. She continued to publish articles until almost her 100th birthday.
Today, she is no longer able to move around independently or communicate, so family members have spoken on her behalf to tell her story. Her grandson recalls visiting Lausanne with her in the early 2000s: “It was the dot-com boom. And I was discussing the issue with someone who had lived through the invention of the radio. It was a bit of a clash of eras.”
What is her secret to longevity? Her great-granddaughter points to a remarkably simple routine. “Every morning since she was young, she did five minutes of exercise. Those five minutes kept her fit.” She also highlights her personality. “She has great strength of character. She is a very strong woman and a role model for many generations.”
Translated from French, sub-edited by Simon Bradley
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