Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The F-35 fighter jet is once again a major talking point. It is louder than previous jets, and opposition to the additional noise pollution is growing around military airfields.
There have also been noisy complaints about last year's e-ID referendum. Although the Federal Court rejected them today, some questions about influence exerted during the campaign remain unanswered.
Enjoy today's briefing.
The new F-35 fighter jet is much louder than the current F/A-18. The defence ministry has therefore presented measures to try to reassure the population around the Payerne, Meiringen and Emmen military airfields. But not everyone is convinced.
When the F-35 takes off, it is louder than previous jets flown in Switzerland, the federal authorities admit. But the defence ministry points out that fewer F-35 flights will be carried out overall when the planes are deployed – thanks to simulators and more efficient missions. The argument is that total annual noise pollution will remain similar to today’s level.
However, additional measures are considered necessary. Around 230 properties will have to be fitted with new soundproof windows, most of them in Emmen. Restrictions on flight operations are also planned, for example during training periods. The relevant documents on operations and noise limits will be made public.
But the affected communities are not entirely happy. They point to the greater impact of individual flight movements and in some cases have demanded compensation. A look abroad reinforces the doubts: in several countries, the F-35 has led to many more noise complaints. The debate is likely to continue in Switzerland for some time.
Imagine your harmless holiday photos suddenly becoming explicit pornographic videos – without your knowledge. A recent investigation reveals a worrying system of AI abuse in Switzerland.
This is what has happened to several Swiss influencers who have over five million followers. Their images are increasingly being misused online for pornographic content. They are now going public and pressing charges.
The women want to break the silence and make it clear that this form of abuse is never the victims’ fault. “I could probably wear an astronaut costume and these men would sexualise me. I’m not the problem, they are,” says one of them.
Research by Tamedia publications shows that pornographic deepfakes are no longer a niche phenomenon, but are being produced on an industrial scale. AI developers advertise programmes in Swiss Telegram forums that are used to create explicit images and videos.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, there is a legal gap in Switzerland. There is no specific criminal offence for sexualised deepfakes. Existing laws such as identity misuse do not go far enough. Legal experts also warn that offenders often face only small fines – sometimes little more than a minor traffic fine.
Switzerland does not need to rerun the vote on introducing an electronic proof of identity (e‑ID). The Federal Court dismissed the appeals on Tuesday, though one key issue remains unresolved.
Today’s verdict confirms the narrow yes vote (50.39%) on September 28, 2025. While irregularities were identified during the vote campaign, such as the late disclosure of support from media companies, the court said there was no reason to overturn the result.
The role of Swisscom is more sensitive. The state-affiliated company donated CHF30,000 ($38,464) to the pro-campaign committee. Two judges expressed clear criticism during deliberations, referring to indirect propaganda by the authorities and a possible violation of the constitution. But these were dropped because the criticisms were not formally admissible. Some appeals were also not considered due to missed deadlines.
From e-ID to e-voting: the cantons of St Gallen, Graubünden and Thurgau may continue to use e-voting in upcoming ballots. The Federal Chancellery has issued the necessary authorisations. Meanwhile, canton Basel City is suspending its project this year following e-voting problems during the last vote.
Wages in Switzerland are rising – and thanks to low inflation, the increase is also reflected in purchasing power. Real wages are growing for the second year in a row.
Nominal wages rose by an average of 1.8% in 2025. With inflation expected to remain low at 0.2%, this has resulted in a real wage increase of 1.6%, leaving more in people’s wallets than at any time since 2009.
However, the trend is uneven. Salaries are rising more strongly in the service sector than in industry, and there are differences within sectors.
The gender effect is also notable: women’s wages rose more strongly (+2.3%) than men’s (+1.5%) in 2025. Trade unions have recently increased pressure for higher salaries while continuing to criticise short-term one-off bonuses.
Translated using AI/amva
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