Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Do you remember what you were doing five years ago today? Switzerland went into lockdown on March 16, 2020. Borders were closed, and strict measures were imposed.
I still remember that day clearly. I was working from home
for the first time, trying to juggle work and childcare with my husband.
What were you doing during the lockdown?
Kind regards,
Melanie Eichenberger
The planned bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union could include compensatory measures that may impact the Swiss Abroad, according to Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). While these agreements offer advantages for Switzerland, they also raise concerns.
Switzerland already aligns much of its legislation with EU law. Under the new revised bilateral agreements, it will be required to do so even more, writes NZZ. This won’t be done automatically, but according to binding rules and within set timeframes. If Switzerland fails to adopt a required EU law, the EU could impose compensatory measures. An independent arbitration tribunal would then assess whether these measures are proportionate.
Thomas Cottier, an emeritus professor of European and International Economic Law, believes this mechanism benefits Switzerland. “It creates a level playing field, even though the EU is the stronger partner,” he told NZZ. He argues that Switzerland would gain legal protection by being able to challenge the EU’s compensatory measures, which could be particularly important in politically sensitive cases, such as those affecting Swiss universities or medical technology firms.
One potential area of dispute is the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP), especially given Switzerland’s recent high immigration levels. If Switzerland were to restrict free movement, the EU could retaliate by temporarily suspending certain rights for Swiss citizens residing in EU countries. This could include exclusions from social benefits in host countries, as free movement is dependent on coordinated social security systems. “This could impact around half a million Swiss Abroad,” says Cottier, noting that the strong Swiss expatriate lobby could generate domestic political pressure in response.
Switzerland has traditionally prioritised political conflict resolution over legal arbitration. “Compared to other countries, Switzerland is still a beginner in arbitration proceedings,” Cottier says, adding that Switzerland must become more proactive.
According to a new study reported by Tages-Anzeiger, retiring abroad does not always lead to the idyllic life many expect. Instead, it often results in loneliness.
For many Swiss retirees, the idea of moving abroad is appealing – sun, beaches and a lower cost of living, which makes their pensions go further. Currently, around 187,000 Swiss citizens are enjoying retirement outside Switzerland. However, a Dutch study suggests that life abroad in old age does not always bring happiness or satisfaction.
The biggest challenge? A lack of social and family connections. Many retirees struggle to integrate into their new environment and experience loneliness, which can lead to health problems. While financial security and having a partner are factors that help prevent isolation, the study found that even well-off couples often find it difficult to establish a strong social network in a foreign country.
Of the nearly 5,000 retirees abroad and 1,300 retirees in Switzerland surveyed, many reported difficulty making new friends while simultaneously losing contact with old ones. Although Swiss retirees generally have better financial resources than others, the risk of social isolation remains a real concern.
The death of a 64-year-old Swiss national in an Iranian prison in January 2025 has raised diplomatic concerns, with parliament demanding answers from the Swiss federal government.
Fabian Molina, a Social Democratic Party parliamentarian from Zurich, has submitted a motion questioning whether the Swiss man’s body has been autopsied by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. He also asked why Iran denied him consular protection and whether his case was linked to the Abedini/Sala case, a politically sensitive incident.
But first the story: in January 2025, a 64-year-old Swiss man died in an Iranian prison, allegedly by suicide. The Iranian authorities labelled him a “spy” who had entered the country as a tourist in October 2024 and had been arrested for photographing military installations. According to Aargauer Zeitung, the Swiss man was possibly used as a “pawn” in a geopolitical power play, in exchange the Iranian agent Mohamed Abedini, who lived in Lausanne.
On January 8, 2025, Abedini was released in Italy and Sala in Tehran. The Swiss spy is said to have taken his own life on January 9. According to the Aargauer Zeitung, it is not only the case itself that is puzzling, but also the person of the Swiss national who died so tragically. Although the Swiss national is said to have lived in Namibia, the Swiss community there does not know him. His stay in Iran also remains obscure. The paper asks: “Was he really just a naive tourist, or was he an agent disguised as an amateur photographer? If so, which state was he travelling for?”
The Swiss federal government is not commenting on ongoing criminal proceedings by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, foreign minister Ignazio Cassis told the House of Representatives this afternoon. “There are currently no indications of a possible link between the death of the Swiss citizen in January 2025 and the arrests of an Italian national in Iran and an Iranian national in Italy in December 2024.”
On March 16, 2020, the Swiss federal government declared a state of emergency to try to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. Looking back, the measures taken that day now seem almost surreal – but they were part of an unprecedented moment in history.
That evening, then-President Simonetta Sommaruga addressed the nation, declaring: “A jolt must now go through our country.” She was accompanied by four government ministers to announce the extraordinary situation.
That is how Switzerland’s lockdown, as it was generally referred to, officially began, recalled an article inWatson.ch yesterday on the five-year “anniversary”.
“Stay at home”, urged the then Health Minister Alain Berset. Restaurants, shops, markets and leisure facilities had to be closed. Borders with all neighbouring countries were tightened. Schools switched to online teaching and public life came to a standstill.
What do many people remember? Toilet paper hoarding, clapping for healthcare workers, empty streets, shopping for elderly neighbours, months of working from home and the loss of lives.
Translated from German using DeepL/amva/sb
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