Switzerland Today
Hello from Bern,
where cabinet ministers retiring are like buses: you wait ages for one of them, and then suddenly loads come along at the same time. Just a month after Finance Minister Ueli Maurer, today it was the turn of Energy and Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga to say tchüss. This and the other news of the day in Wednesday’s briefing.
In the news: Qatar espionage, energy optimism, Iran sanctions.
- An investigation published today by Swiss public television SRF uncovered a large-scale and long-standing spy operation launched by Qatar against various FIFA officials. The goal of the operation was apparently to prevent the Gulf state losing its position as World Cup host after it controversially won the bid in 2010. Switzerland, where FIFA has its headquarters, was a key venue for the operation, SRF writes.
- The Swiss government published today a report presenting a more optimistic outlook for winter energy supply. According to the most probable scenarios prepared by two federal departments, the situation is “tense” but “not seriously threatening”. In 8% of the 2,400 scenarios studies, a shortage occurred amounting to one day of national electricity usage. The study was already leaked to the press at the weekend.
- The government confirmed sanctions against Iran related to the production and supply of drones used by Russia in the war in Ukraine. However, Switzerland will not be following EU sanctions in connection with protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. While condemning the use of force against protestors, the Swiss foreign ministry prefers to prioritise a diplomatic approach.
Sommaruga: after a dozen years at the top table, family calls.
Another month, another minister gone: after Ueli Maurer, Simonetta Sommaruga today surprisingly announced she will step down as environment minister at the end of the year. The slightly emotional Sommaruga told a hastily-convened press conference on Wednesday that the timing of the decision was a bit of a surprise to her too, but that a stroke suffered by her husband last week had made her shift perspective after 12 years in cabinet. As well as her current environment and energy portfolio, the 62-year-old Social Democrat (left-wing) served a stint as Justice Minister; she also twice acted as Swiss President, including when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020.
What does it mean for the ultra-stable Swiss government, which now suddenly needs to replace two of seven ministers via a parliament vote on December 7? In the short term, not much: the Green Party has already said it will not contest Sommaruga’s seat, which means the long-standing consensual formula (two People’s Party ministers, two Radicals, two Social Democrats, one Centre Party) will continue to stand. However, with the Greens keen to take a government seat after parliamentary elections next year, there could be a situation of musical chairs in the meantime, with the seven ministers jostling for their favourite portfolio – both in terms of subject matter and in terms of what might put them in the most favourable light to not be booted out next year…
EU-Swiss relations: glimmers of hope, or hopeless haggling?
After the failed framework agreement last year, and almost a year of fruitless talks between Bern and Brussels, the NZZ today reportsExternal link (paywall) on some “glimmers of hope on the horizon” for the bickering neighbours. The newspaper is noticeably short on concrete examples of what this hope is, but it refers to insiders who say that things are not as bad as they have been appearing in the media. The NZZ mentions the “close cooperation” (including on sanctions) between the EU and Switzerland since the start of the Ukraine war: the crisis has “reminded both sides of common values, which should ease the way towards a solution in the bilateral dossier”, it writes.
Good! However: listening to the chief Swiss negotiator Livia Leu on SRF radio, you’d be forgiven for thinking twice about these rays of hope. In an interviewExternal link last night, Leu sounded as combative as ever, continuing the tit for tat blame game about which side is blocking progress. Some quotes include: “The EU perhaps wants a high degree of clarity on certain questions, but on ones which have already been discussed”; and “there is no objective justification for the lack of progress on Swiss association to Horizon Europe”. The most positive thing Leu said was what SRF used as a headline: “The EU understands the Swiss political system”. Is understanding the first step towards coming to an agreement? The next round of discussions starts on November 11.
More
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
