Switzerland Today
Hello from Bern,
Where the media is still furiously speculating on who’s to replace outgoing finance minister, Ueli Maurer. Who has what it takes, who meets the requirements? And – more importantly – is it a decent job?
In the news: progressive drug policy, recessive economic outlook.
- Swiss authorities want to prolong more lenient rules for controlled heroin distribution which were put in place during the pandemic. The eased rules, introduced in 2020 as a way to get around social distancing restrictions, allowed some addicts to take a week’s supply home in the form of tablets – rather than showing up to a distribution centre each day. Experts say feedback from the more tolerant process was positive.
- The KOF economic institute in Zurich has joined other forecasting agencies in lowering its expansion forecasts for the Swiss economy. They now predict growth of 2.3% this year, and 0.7% in 2023; down from 2.8% and 1.3% respectively. The revision is mainly prompted by the inflation situation. However, the experts do not expect Switzerland to move into recession, at least yet.
- Campaigners behind the so-called glacier initiative have withdrawn their text in favour of a counter proposal approved in parliament. Like the original initiative, the parliamentary proposal aims to reduce Swiss greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Voters will likely still get the chance to have a say; the right-wing People’s Party have announced they are gathering signatures to force a referendum on the issue.
Wanted: new cabinet minister.
Since Finance Minister Ueli Maurer announced his retirement last week, Swiss media has been lighting up with speculation on who is to replace him. Though parliament will only take the decision on December 7, pundits have been eagerly tackling the big questions: will it be a woman? (The answer: unclear.) Will it be another person from canton Zurich, to safeguard regional balance in the seven-member government? (The answer: cantonal origin will be a factor, but not the decisive one.) Will the new minister take over the finance portfolio, or will the others take advantage of the vacuum to force a re-shuffle? (The answer, according to Le Courrier’s political actuary today: the probability of this is 10%; Maurer’s replacement will likely get the Justice portfolio.)
But for readers who are not politics nerds, our French-language sister organisation RTS yesterday askedExternal link the really important question: is being a minister a good job? According to veteran political journalist Alain Rebetez, at least, the answer is a mix. While the role offers a certain amount of importance and responsibility, it is undeniably “hard work”, he says – despite the cliché of Switzerland being a country where not much happens. Free weekends are a thing of the past, as is real privacy, and – depending on your ministry – there is huge pressure. And if the salary is high (CHF454,500/$461,300), it can’t compete with the type of perks, pomp and prestige enjoyed by, say, French ministers. Ultimately, Rebetez says, you have to be motivated, and you have to be a fan of power…
From our archives:
Controversial Cup: football in Qatar.
The moral questions never seem to end. The next one, to be answered between now and November: should you watch a football tournament organised by a country with a dodgy human rights and environmental record (i.e. the World Cup in Qatar)? While it’s hardly the first time such a questions has come up (if you don’t remember where the last World Cup was held, then Google it), the wrangling about it is very loud this time. And now in Switzerland, RTS writes todayExternal link, authorities have also been grappling with the question of whether or not to organise the usual “fan zones” – big public screening areas where the games are shown live.
In the French-speaking part of the country, at least, Neuchâtel said “no” to fan zones last year. Lausanne has also declined, citing rights issues in Qatar. In Geneva however, the plan is still to go ahead with a 4,000-capactiy fan zone, even though things have become complicated after a left-wing petition demanded its cancellation. On RTS radio this morning, the head of the fan zone’s organising company sounded (justifiably?) peeved: “the questions raised by political groups are fair, there’s no problem there,” said Frédéric Hohl. “But it surprises me that they come so late: Qatar was chosen 10 years ago, and Geneva chose us [to organise the fan zone] seven years ago.” Shouldn’t we have thought about this sooner?
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