Switzerland Today
Greetings from Lausanne!
Here are the latest news and stories from Switzerland on Friday.
In the news: the 300 wealthiest people in Switzerland, the pandemic and the economy, and Sunday’s Covid-19 vote.
- The rich got (much) richer last year in Switzerland. The 300 wealthiest people added CHF115 billion ($123 billion) to their funds during the last 12 months, according to financial magazine Bilanz. This is a 16% increase on the previous year – the biggest annual rise since the ranking was first published in 1989.
- Access to the main square outside the Federal Parliament in Bern will be forbidden on Sunday. The police fear possible troubleExternal link when the results of the nationwide vote on the Swiss Covid-19 lawExternal link are announced.
- The Swiss economy grew by a weaker-than-expected 1.7% during the third quarter, as it braces for a further downturnExternal link from the widening Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing supply chain shortages.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin has warned cantons that they must get hospitals ready for a possible surge in new Covid-19 cases.
In a letter sent on November 24, revealedExternal link in the Swiss press today, Parmelin urges them to take swift appropriate action, including imposing the wider use of masks, reduced work contacts, more regular Covid testing and restrictions on large gatherings. Various cantonsExternal link have already announced a flurry of regional-specificExternal link measures.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Switzerland has been rising significantly since mid-October. On Friday, 8,032 new cases were reported, 50% higher than the level early last week.
The government is holding off from new national restrictions to curb coronavirus infections as it believes intensive care units in hospitalsExternal link can still cope. And it insists the federalist system, which gives the cantonal authorities wide-ranging autonomy, is well suited to deal with regional Covid differences.
Health Minister Alain Berset this week dismissed allegations that the government’s decision not to impose new national measures was a tactical consideration ahead of the nationwide vote on the Swiss Covid-19 law on Sunday.
Inflation swells cost of replacing Swiss fighter jet fleet.
Last year Swiss citizens gave a cautious all-clear to spend CHF6 billion on new fighter jets for the air force.
Then in June of this year it was announced that Switzerland had appeared to have struck a bargain deal with United States manufacturer Lockheed Martin to provide 36 F-35A aircraft (photo above) for just over CHF5 billion.
But after government accountants took a closer look and factored in inflation, the final estimated maximum cost is more like CHF6.3 billionExternal link it emerged today – although the most likely bill is expected to be CHF6.035 billion.
It’s not a done deal yet. Parliament still has to approve these figures next year so that Switzerland can sign off on the agreement with Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, opponents of the F-35A deal are busy collecting signatures for an initiative to challenge the choice of jet .
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has been forced to cancel his official trip to China.
The Swiss minister was due to hold strategic talks on Saturday with his counterpart Wang Yi. Cassis tweetedExternal link this afternoon that he regretted the fact that he had to cancel the meeting. The Swiss minister’s jet was forced to land in Moscow on its way to China due to technicalproblems. After examining various options, he announced that he would return to Switzerland and reschedule his planned meeting with Wang Yi.
The Swiss minister was due to discuss economic ties, Covid-19 and human rights with the Chinese minister. The talks were part of annual Swiss-Chinese ministerial meetings to strengthen ties. Cassis (photo above) was due to present Switzerland’s China foreign policy strategy, adopted by the government in March.
Since 2010 China has been Switzerland’s biggest trading partner in Asia and its third-largest partner globally after the European Union and the US. Switzerland recently hosted top American and Chinese diplomats for talks aimed at smoothing tensions between the two powers.
Switzerland will be unable to avoid human rights issues in future talks. China faces EU sanctions, while the US and Australia are reportedly considering a diplomatic boycott of next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing over human rights issues.
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