Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
A year from now, on October 24, 2027, you will decide – along with voters in Switzerland – who will represent the population and the cantons in the federal parliament for the next four years.
Ahead of the elections, the Sotomo research institute has surveyed voters’ opinions and priorities on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, and found a similar pattern to that in other countries: right-wing and left-wing parties are gaining ground, while the centre-right is losing out. Above all, the Swiss People’s Party is consolidating its position as the biggest party in the country.
I wish you a good read and a pleasant weekend.
A year from now, Swiss voters will pick a new House of Representatives and Senate. And if the elections were held today, the Swiss People’s Party would be the big winner, according to an election barometer published today by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC, Swissinfo’s parent company).
According to the survey numbers, the People’s Party would even surpass its own record score of 2015 (29.4%), with 29.9% of the vote. On the left, the Social Democrats (19.3%) and Greens (10.3%) would also pick up support. But while the two ends of the political spectrum are gaining ground, centre-right parties are losing out: the Centre Party currently enjoys 12.6% of the vote, the Radical-Liberal Party 13.3%. For the latter, this would be the worst result in its entire history in House of Representatives elections.
In addition to party strength, the Sotomo research institute, which conducted the poll on behalf of the SBC, also surveyed the most important political challenges as seen by the population – with health insurance premiums and climate change being rated most urgent. And while the climate is perceived as more or less urgent depending on party affiliation, concerns about insurance premiums seem to cut across party lines.
When it comes to foreign policy, the public is quite critical of Bern’s stance towards the United States: over 80% of respondents think the government is too friendly towards Washington. And almost three-quarters of respondents consider Switzerland’s official stance towards Israel to be too friendly.
Finally, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin scored points with the public over the past year. While 42% of respondents now describe him as one of the most influential members of the Federal Council (compared to 17% a year ago), he also tops the popularity ratings for the first time, relegating his six colleagues to lower positions.
The F-35 fighter jet is in the headlines yet again. The Swiss defence contractor Ruag will carry out final assembly and testing of three fighter jets at its Emmen site – and not four as originally planned. Nevertheless, the defence company still considers the “Rigi” prestige project to be essential.
According to Ruag, the reduction from four to three fighter jets was based on a cost-benefit analysis. “The reduction in aircraft has no impact on achieving the objectives regarding technology transfer and know-how development,” the company said.
This development of know-how is a key objective of the “Rigi” project; Ruag wants to become one of just two European centres for the final assembly and testing of F-35 fighter jets.
In addition to jets owned by Switzerland, Ruag also wants to maintain and repair jets belonging to other European nations. “How much the business takes off depends on the question of how Switzerland interprets its neutrality,” writes the Tages-Anzeiger. European states that fear an attack by Russia are likely to demand guarantees that Ruag will work on their fighter jets even in the event of war. However, Ruag emphasises, the focus should be on maintaining the jets for the Swiss army.
It’s every parent’s nightmare: a mother or father abducts a shared child to another country. But the number of such cross-border cases is rising.
In Switzerland in 2025, according to CH Media, around 110 cases were known in which children were abducted by mother or father. However, experts assume many cases go unreported. As numbers have risen, so has the fear of such abductions, as a look at the Ripol national system for flagging cases shows: last year, 734 children were registered as a preventive measure – a new record.
But why is the number of international child abductions rising? One cause is the increased number of binational marriages, which “run a higher risk of child abduction”, writes CH Media. But the specific reasons are varied: social isolation, a desire to return home, court or official rulings on custody and childcare time, escape from a conflict-ridden and violent relationship; or revenge.
The children always suffer too. “The risk that children will later develop attachment disorders or suffer from concentration or psychological problems increases significantly,” says Anna Land, a social worker and mediator at the International Social Service. Her organisation advises affected parents and helps to locate children and mediate between parents.
Anyone who builds, needs a permit. This is widely known in Switzerland – or at least should be. Time and again, demolitions take place due to missing building permits – and the affected constructions range from private wind turbines to pony stables.
Blick has compiled cases from Switzerland showing how expensive it can be to engage in renegade building. For example, a farmer in Appenzell Inner Rhodes who wanted to live energy-independently – he simply built a new 30-metre wind turbine from two decommissioned systems. Now however, while the turbine is in operation, the permit is missing. He wants to submit a request retrospectively, and hopes the authorities will turn a blind eye.
In Bern, an even longer-standing case involves a pony stable. Some 20 years ago, the relocation of the stable was approved verbally by a building administrator, but without a written permit – and now the stable is set to be removed, while the owner is pushing back.
And back in eastern Switzerland, a couple transformed the former country house of actress Lilli Palmer into a luxury castle, but did not seem to be too precise about certain size specifications while doing it. In 2008, a St Gallen court ruled that essential parts of the villa and surroundings had been built illegally. Smaller building elements were demolished and a retrospective application followed.
Translated from German, sub-edited by Domhnall O’Sullivan
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