Switzerland today

Greetings from Bern,

the battle for the soon-to-be-vacant spot on the Federal Council has begun. Who will sit at the top table and make the big decisions? Let the games begin!

This content was published on October 19, 2022 - 18:00

2 minutes

I cover food and agribusiness and have a special interest in sustainable supply chains, food safety and quality, as well emerging players and trends in the food industry. A background in forestry and conservation biology led me down the path of environmental advocacy. Journalism and Switzerland made me a neutral observer who holds companies accountable for their actions.

In the news: Great Credit Suisse sale, Nestlé prices, nuclear waste and environment footprint

Rumours of embattled bank Credit Suisse selling off parts of its business have been making the rounds recently. After its share price hit record lows, the bank needs to raise cash to fund a turnaround plan to be announced in a week. Sources have indicated fire sales of its assets, including the 200-year-old Savoy hotel in Zurich. The latest rumour is a planned sale of its US loans portfolio to Japanese banks. Watch this space.
Nestlé, another Swiss heavyweight, is doing much better. Today, it reported nine-month salesExternal link of almost CHF70 billion, an increase of 8.5% over the previous year. Bad news for customers though, as CEO Mark Schneider warned of more price increases next year due to inflation. The company has already raised prices by almost 10% this year.
After 50 years of planning and debate, Switzerland has finally settled on a place to dump its nuclear waste. It will be buried underground in the northern Lägern region of Zurich not far from the German border. German experts have given a green light to the security measures, which probably comes as a relief to the Swiss National Co-operative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra). After all, nobody is keen to have radioactive waste in their back yard.
Believe it or not, Switzerland has reduced its environment footprint per capita by a quarterExternal link between 2000 and 2018. However, the Swiss are still consuming 67% more than their share of the earth’s resources. A big culprit are imports from abroad.

Hot seat: Who will be the next cabinet minister?

With Ueli Maurer vacating his spot on the seven-member Federal Council at the end of the year, his party colleagues have been throwing their hat in the ring for the coveted cabinet post. The latest to announce their candidatureExternal link is former parliamentarian Hans-Ueli Vogt from canton Zurich. The 52-year-old gay politician is best known for his unsuccessful initiative to put the Swiss constitution above international law.

Vogt’s announcement comes on the heels of a similar one by Michèle Blöchliger earlier this week. The politician from canton Nidwalden is the first woman in the raceExternal link. Others entering the fray are Heinz Tännler from canton Zug, and Bernese heavyweights Albert Rösti and Werner Salzmann.

The federal assembly will elect the new cabinet minister on December 7.