Switzerland Today
Dear readers,
The election of a new member of the Federal Council was undoubtedly last week’s most significant Swiss news event. It has also been a highly political week, with the continuation of parliament’s spring session.
This selection also includes some economic news, covering a shortage of a popular Easter product and a chill wind blowing in from Washington.
Enjoy the read!
The new Federal Councillor may know how to play the trombone, but that’s probably not why he was elected.
We’ll have to get used to a new face in the Federal Council. On Wednesday, the Federal Assembly elected Martin Pfister from the Centre Party to replace Viola Amherd from April 1.
This election came as a surprise. Little known on the federal stage, Pfister was considered an outsider. Yet he won comfortably against the other candidate put forward by the Centre Party, Markus Ritter, president of the influential Swiss Farmers’ Union. In a rare move, Pfister was elected to the seven-seat government despite not being a member of the federal parliament.
Several factors may explain this unexpected victory. Currently serving as State Councillor for Health in canton Zug, Pfister already has executive experience. He also comes from Central Switzerland, a region that has not been represented in the Federal Council for some time. Finally, as a colonel in the army, he will have an advantage in leading the defence ministry. His role as defence minister was officially confirmed on Friday.
Parliament has been busy casting votes this past week.
In addition to electing a new Federal Councillor, parliament continued its spring session, debating several key issues:
Laws for criminal asylum-seekers will be tightened. Following approval by the House of Representatives, the Senate also passed two related measures.
On criminal law, the Senate voted to abolish the 30-year statute of limitations for murder. The proposal now moves to the House of Representatives.
The Senate rejected efforts to halt Swiss Post’s restructuring plans, meaning the company can proceed with its planned closure of around 170 post offices by 2028, a decision that has sparked strong regional opposition.
Many shops have put up posters warning of a shortage of Swiss eggs.
If you’re planning to dye or hide eggs this Easter, you may want to plan ahead. Swiss eggs are currently in short supply, with shelves noticeably emptier than usual. Imports are helping to compensate for the shortfall in domestic production.
Each year, demand for eggs surges in the run-up to Easter, so this situation is not unusual. However, this year’s shortage is exacerbated by rising overall egg consumption. Once blamed for raising cholesterol, eggs have since been rehabilitated as a healthy food. More importantly, in times of inflation, eggs remain a much cheaper alternative to meat.
Logically, one might assume that increasing production would solve the issue. But it’s not that simple. “Expanding domestic production is very complex – it’s expensive and requires significant effort and time. Obtaining planning permission for a new henhouse takes two or three years if all goes well, or even up to ten years,” explains Daniel Würgler, president of the GalloSuisse egg producers’ association.
Switzerland isn’t alone in facing supply problems. The United States, severely affected by avian flu since 2022, has seen egg prices more than double. In Europe, France has been particularly affected, with egg consumption rising sharply over the past decade.
Swiss business leaders have long hoped for a free trade agreement with the United States. Negotiations began during Donald Trump’s first presidency but were halted under Joe Biden. However, Trump’s return to office does not necessarily mean a revival of talks, as attitudes in Washington have shifted.
The United States has placed Switzerland on a list of countries with “unfair trading practices”, according to the head of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Helene Budliger Artieda. The list includes countries that, like Switzerland, maintain a large trade surplus with the US.
In response, Switzerland argues that it is not engaging in unfair trade, citing the unilateral removal of its industrial tariffs. Furthermore, Swiss companies invest heavily in the US, contributing to job creation. “We’ve been doing exactly what President Trump wants for years,” says the head of SECO.
Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin (pictured) has urged calm. Speaking on regional broadcaster La Télé, he warned that a looming tax war would be “very bad news for a small, export-driven country” like Switzerland. Given its size, Switzerland cannot rely on retaliatory measures. Instead, Parmelin advocates diplomacy, stressing Switzerland’s contributions to the US economy in hopes of finding a “win-win” solution.
The eagerly awaited Paléo Festival programme will be unveiled this week.
Politically, the third and final week of parliament’s spring session will take centre stage.
Economically, key Swiss companies such as bank Julius Bär and Stadler Rail will release their 2024 results.
Culturally, the 2025 Paléo Festival programme will be unveiled, and the Quartz 2025 Swiss Film Prize will be awarded.
Finally, the Council of the Swiss Abroad will meet in Bern on Friday. Given global tensions, discussions will focus on how Swiss citizens can return home in the event of a crisis.
Translated from French using DeepL/amva/ts
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