Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
US tariffs, the Crans-Montana tragedy and corporate accountability: these familiar themes again dominate Swiss headlines this Friday.
But there is also something new – an unprecedented survey on obesity.
Enjoy today’s read,
Sometimes misfortune seems to strike at the worst possible moment. Valais police commander Frédéric Gisler would likely agree.
He officially took up his post on January 1 at midnight – just an hour and a half before the deadly Crans-Montana bar fire tragedy. After three months of silence, he has now spoken publicly about the case for the first time.
Gisler recalls the initial shock and sense of unreality in confronting the scale of the fire at the Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort, which killed 41 people on New Year’s Day and injured dozens. He says the tragedy has left a lasting mark not only on the victims and their loved ones, but also on the emergency services.
He highlights the exceptional mobilisation of the Valais cantonal police, almost entirely deployed to manage the crisis, run the criminal investigation and maintain security and public order simultaneously. At the same time, Gisler acknowledges the heavy human toll: months later, many officers remain deeply affected, with some still suffering from stress or trauma.
He warns of growing exhaustion within the force and the risks this poses for future operations. Additional personnel have been requested from cantonal authorities, and he stresses the need for sustained psychological and institutional support. For Gisler, Crans-Montana exposed the limits of existing systems when faced with crises of such magnitude.
Switzerland has not (yet) reached American levels, but it too faces a significant weight-related health challenge. Official figures show that 12% of the population is obese and 43% overweight. While the scale of the issue is clear, its causes remain contested. Is excess weight mainly a matter of personal behaviour, or do broader factors play a decisive role?
For most Swiss residents, the answer is unequivocal. According to a survey conducted by GfK on behalf of insurer Groupe Mutuel, 51% believe excess weight is explained by individual behaviour, and 77% say prevention is primarily a matter of personal responsibility.
Responsibility is more often seen as collective only in the case of children – for example due to a lack of sports facilities. Beyond childhood, however, personal responsibility clearly prevails. Excess weight is still widely perceived as the result of insufficient willpower or lack of self-control.
Other explanations trail far behind. The food industry ranks second, cited by 45% of respondents. The survey nonetheless reveals clear nuances: the stereotype that people are overweight because they fail to discipline themselves is most strongly held by older, German-speaking men.
Last year, the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) sharply increased the number of entry bans to Swiss territory, issuing 614 decisions – four times more than in 2024. The rise is mainly due to enhanced data exchange with European partners, particularly Europol, against a backdrop of what Swiss security services describe as a high terrorist threat.
Most bans (512) concerned individuals suspected of links to jihadist terrorism, mainly members or sympathisers of the so-called Islamic State identified abroad. Fedpol emphasises these are preventive measures: the individuals concerned had not necessarily sought to enter Switzerland, but authorities aim to minimise risk, especially as radicalisation affects increasingly young people.
Other bans were linked to espionage, organised crime or violent extremism. For the first time, fedpol also issued an entry ban related to nuclear weapons proliferation. Five deportations were carried out in 2025, targeting individuals deemed a threat to internal security.
A popular initiative calling for a more sustainable Swiss financial centre has been submitted with over 145,000 signatures. Backed by an alliance of politicians, business figures and NGOs, it demands binding rules for financial activities that pose climate and environmental risks, arguing that current self-regulation is inadequate.
According to the initiators, Swiss financial activities abroad generate CO₂ emissions exceeding Switzerland’s domestic emissions. They criticise continued financing of fossil fuel projects and deforestation, which they say contradict Switzerland’s international commitments. The initiative aims to redirect financial flows towards sustainable activities, in line with practices adopted by other financial centres.
Switzerland last voted on a similar issue in November 2020, with the Responsible Business Initiative. The proposal narrowly won a majority of the popular vote but failed due to the cantonal majority, leading to its rejection. A weaker indirect counterproposal subsequently entered into force.
From Monday, the US administration is expected to begin refunding customs duties illegally collected during Donald Trump’s presidency. These tariffs, introduced under a purported national emergency, were ruled unlawful by the US Supreme Court, which found the legal basis insufficient.
Around $166 billion will need to be repaid worldwide. Tens of thousands of companies – including many in Switzerland and Europe – have already submitted claims, some hoping to recover several million dollars.
US authorities have set up a dedicated refund mechanism, with payments to be made gradually. Even so, the process is expected to be lengthy and complex, potentially taking months or even years before all refunds are completed.
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