The week in Switzerland
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Two incidents affecting sensitive areas of the internet kept Switzerland on edge this week. First, personal pension fund data belonging to more than 100,000 federal employees was stolen. Then, a security vulnerability in the widely used scripting language PHP caused alarm among server operators.
Warm regards from Bern,
A historic data breach affecting the federal government and a red alert on the internet: Switzerland looks back on a turbulent week dominated by cybersecurity concerns. Two major incidents shook public authorities, companies and IT operators.
A massive cyberattack on IT company PK Softech hit the federal government hard. Although the company had confirmed in writing to the federal pension fund Publica that it had deleted all data, sensitive pension fund information relating to more than 100,000 federal employees was copied from unprotected servers, the Tages-Anzeiger reported.
Former government ministers, diplomats and elite soldiers are also reportedly affected. The hacker group Akira is now attempting to blackmail the federal government with the stolen data, which, according to security agencies, may even pose life-threatening dangers for certain individuals, Watson reported.
Also this week, a PHP security vulnerability detected using AI triggered a global alert. Swiss universities and public authorities took the precaution of shutting down online portals before the National Cyber Security Centre announced that no attacks had been reported in Switzerland so far. However, it recommends that affected server systems be updated immediately.
On Friday, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) – Swissinfo’s parent company – published its first opinion poll ahead of the nationwide vote on November 29, when voters will decide on four proposals.
Almost 70% of respondents who took part in the survey said they would support the “Fireworks Restriction Initiative”. A rare cross-party majority spanning the political spectrum appears keen to put an end to noisy firecrackers and rockets.
Voters will also decide on November 29 on a proposal to fund the 13th state pension (AHV/AVS) payment, which has already been approved by voters. The initiative, which involves raising VAT to fund the extra monthly payment, reveals a deep generational divide. While those under 40 reject the proposal, older voters clearly support it, according to the survey. The gfs.bern research institute, which conducted the poll, says income surprisingly plays no role.
There is also tension surrounding the referendum on easing war materiel export rules and the “Fair Taxation Initiative”, a proposal to keep joint taxation for married couples and end marriage-related tax disadvantages. According to gfs.bern, Swiss voters abroad tend to reject the proposed changes to the Federal Act on War Materiel but are more supportive than Swiss voters in general on the question of tax equality for married couples.
The scorching summer of 2026 caught Switzerland off guard. Yet behind the scenes, federal authorities has been embroiled in a power struggle over how best to deal with the drought, it was revealed this week.
Although rivers were drying up and a state of emergency loomed, Environment Minister Albert Rösti refused to activate the official drought task force. An article in the Tages-Anzeiger reveals that there was even resistance to this issue in the Federal Chancellery.
A chance encounter reportedly broke the deadlock. It was only following a meeting between Rösti and Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider at the Marché-Concours in Saignelégier – the traditional horse market in canton Jura – that a special session was called, Watson reported. The federal government then allocated additional funding for the forestry and agriculture sectors.
However, the consequences of the drought remain far-reaching. Due to extremely low water levels in the Rhine, fuel imports have been cancelled, and the federal government is drawing on its strategic reserves. Furthermore, low river levels are significantly affecting hydroelectric power generation. According to Swiss public broadcaster SRF, if there is little rain this winter, electricity generation restrictions may last until spring 2027.
One in five people in Switzerland lives with a disability – yet their voices are almost entirely absent from parliament. On Wednesday, a special parliamentary session called for genuine equality and the removal of barriers in everyday life.
Forty-four people with disabilities symbolically represented the 22% of the population currently affected by disability at the Disability Session. They presented Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider with 16 petitions calling for the removal of bureaucratic obstacles and discrimination against people with disabilities.
One of the main demands is a standardised disability card valid throughout Switzerland. This would make it easier to access support without having to disclose sensitive personal information. The process of moving between cantons for recipients of a disability pension should also be simplified.
Three out of four people with disabilities feel inadequately represented politically, according to the Inclusion Index compiled by the organisation Pro Infirmis. The assembly therefore called for unanimous support for the Inclusion Initiative, which has successfully collected the necessary signatures and is being reviewed by parliament.
The week ahead
Take care when phoning home and don’t ring your loved ones too early: at 3am on Sunday morning the clocks in Switzerland will be set back one hour to 2am. From October 25, winter time (also known as standard time) will be in force until March 28, 2027.
The 32nd Geneva International Film Festival begins on Friday and runs until November 8. Alongside numerous films, TV series and digital art will also be showcased at various cultural venues across the city.
On October 31, it will once again be the chance for children to go from door to door asking for a “trick or treat”. The Halloween tradition has firmly taken root in Switzerland.
Translated from German, sub-edited by Alexandra MV Andrist/sb
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