The Week in Switzerland
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Welcome to our selection of the most important – and most interesting – stories from Switzerland over the past seven days.
The big issue this week was undoubtedly the cost of the 36 F-35 fighter jets Switzerland plans to buy from the US. Is the price still CHF6 billion as agreed, or has it crept up?
Also making headlines: transitional arrangements with the EU, and Switzerland’s role as a protecting power in Iran.
Best wishes from Bern,
A major controversy erupted this week over Switzerland’s purchase of 36 F-35 fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The key question: did Switzerland agree a fixed price or not?
The government had promised a maximum price of CHF6 billion ($7.5 billion) – a figure printed in the official voting brochure ahead of the 2020 referendum, which narrowly passed with 50.1% of the vote. At the time, voters were told that the amount could “rise or fall slightly” depending on inflation.
This week, however, the US claimed the fixed-price agreement was based on a misunderstanding. It cited increased material costs and inflation as the reason for a potential price hike of up to CHF1.35 billion.
On Wednesday, the Swiss government countered, insisting that a fixed price had been agreed. My colleague Balz Rigendinger examined the Swiss Federal Audit Office’s report and found this clause in the contract: “The buyer agrees to pay the total costs, even if the costs exceed the amounts estimated in this order.”
On Sunday, the United States launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities without informing Switzerland, which has acted as Washington’s protecting power in Iran since 1980.
Before the strikes on facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo, staff at the Swiss embassy in Tehran had already been evacuated to neighbouring Turkmenistan. Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano followed several days later.
Despite its diplomatic mandate to represent US interests in Iran, Switzerland confirmed it had been “not informed” of the operation.
In a sharply worded editorial, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) criticised the embassy evacuation, arguing that Swiss diplomacy had sent the wrong message: “It is running away from its most important good offices mandate when the going gets tough.” The paper called for the embassy to be reopened as quickly as possible.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met with EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. Together, they signed a joint declaration outlining transitional arrangements between Switzerland and the EU from the end of 2024 until a new framework agreement comes into force.
The deal aims to maintain cooperation while the broader “Switzerland-EU package” is finalised and ratified. Among other measures, it includes Switzerland’s retroactive participation in Horizon Europe and Euratom from January 2025. It also outlines collaboration on electricity, health and transport.
Although the negotiations are materially concluded, formal ratification could still take several years. A national referendum is not expected before 2027 or 2028. The agreement remains politically sensitive, especially concerning concessions to the EU and concerns over wage dumping due to posted worker regulations.
The heatwave sweeping Switzerland this week had some unexpected consequences.
As summer temperatures climb ever higher year by year, cantons Basel City, Basel Country and Ticino are considering whether to shift summer holidays by a few weeks. The idea is to prevent pupils returning to classrooms during the hottest part of the year, with some officials suggesting a more flexible distribution of school holidays.
Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man caused major train disruptions on Wednesday after climbing a mast near Olten station between 4pm and 5pm. For safety reasons, the power to the overhead lines had to be cut, bringing rail traffic to a standstill across Basel, Bern, Lucerne and Zurich.
After an hour and a half, the man climbed down voluntarily and was examined by ambulance staff. The full extent of any injuries is unknown. Train services did not fully resume until around 8pm.
The week ahead
Europe’s biggest women’s sporting event, UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, kicks off on Tuesday with the opening of fan zones in Bern and Basel. From Wednesday onwards, all eyes turn to the pitch: Iceland take on Finland in Thun at 6pm, followed by Switzerland vs Norway in Basel at 9pm. The final will be held on Sunday, July 27.
Also on Wednesday, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) will publish its latest status report for the “Security Switzerland 2025” study. The previous report described the country’s security environment as steadily deteriorating – and few expect the new assessment to paint a more optimistic picture.
And from Friday, Neuchâtel rolls out the red carpet for the 24th edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFF). Since its founding in 2000, the event has become a leading showcase for genre cinema worldwide.
Translated using DeepL/amva
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