The week in Switzerland
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The Milano-Cortina Olympics have dominated Swiss headlines over the past week — and for good reason: a new Swiss skiing star has emerged on the slopes of Bormio.
Beyond that, Swiss media continue to focus heavily on two legal sagas: the investigation into the Crans-Montana bar fire tragedy and the European fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein affair.
Enjoy the briefing!
And that makes three! After triumphing in the downhill, Franjo von Allmen added gold in the team combined and then in the super-G. The Bernese skier has thus secured his place in Olympic history. Until now, only two athletes had ever claimed three Alpine skiing golds at a single Games — the last being France’s Jean‑Claude Killy back in 1968. Von Allmen is also the first skier to complete the downhill/super‑G double, and the first Swiss athlete ever to win the super‑G.
Swiss media also celebrated Mathilde Gremaud’s victory, as she captured her second Olympic slopestyle title. She is now the first woman to successfully defend her crown in this highly technical and unpredictable discipline. Despite challenging circumstances — including an injury and the departure of her coach — Gremaud produced a run that experts described as “one of the most impressive ever”. With four Olympic medals to her name (two gold, one silver, one bronze), the Fribourg native now ranks among the most decorated freestyle skiers in history.
Marco Odermatt, by contrast, has had a more mixed Games so far. After narrowly missing the downhill podium, he earned silver in the team combined and bronze in the super‑G. For many athletes, two medals would be an excellent result — but for the Nidwalden star, who arrived in Italy as the overwhelming favourite, the outcome has been somewhat underwhelming. Still, he has another chance to shine in Saturday’s giant slalom.
Switzerland also claimed an unexpected medal when Obwalden ski jumper Gregor Deschwanden won bronze on the 90m hill. After the first week of competition, the Swiss delegation counts seven medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze). It’s a solid showing, though still far below the 15 medals claimed at the previous Winter Games in Beijing (7 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze).
Coverage of the Crans-Montana bar fire tragedy continues to appear daily in Swiss media. This week investigators questioned former safety officers as well as the Moretti couple, who own and run the Le Constellation bar. The resort also faced a minor yet highly symbolic incident: the memorial dedicated to the victims was damaged by an accidental fire started by a candle.
The investigation in recent days has centred on why no inspections were carried out at the Le Constellation bar. Safety officers responsible for checks in Crans-Montana were interrogated about the fact that no controls had taken place since 2019, despite cantonal law requiring annual inspections for public establishments. A staff shortage and IT dysfunction — reportedly caused by a psychologically unstable IT specialist — are believed to have played a role. The software responsible for scheduling periodic inspections had been out of service across the entire canton of Valais.
Later in the week, attention again turned to the bar’s owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, who face charges of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent arson. Their hearing this week was emotionally charged, with victims’ relatives shouting at them upon their arrival in Sion. The couple insist that they intend to take responsibility for the tragic event on New Year’s Eve but denounced what they described as unfounded accusations in the media.
On Wednesday, the Federal Council announced that it will draft emergency legislation by the end of the month to provide financial assistance to the bar fire victims. This federal aid — the amount still to be determined — will supplement the measures already introduced by canton Valais and by insurers, which are considered insufficient given the severity of the tragedy. The government aims to ensure swift and straightforward access to the financial support and is considering discussions involving victims, authorities and insurers to avoid prolonged procedures.
The Epstein files continue to draw intense media scrutiny. It is becoming increasingly evident that the affair extends far beyond the United States and has numerous ramifications across Europe.
This week, France found itself at the centre of the storm with the fall of Jack Lang — former culture minister under François Mitterrand — who has been “invited” to step down as president of the Arab World Institute.
In Switzerland, the repercussions of the scandal are not (yet) strongly felt, though indirect links are beginning to surface.
UBS has emerged in connection with the case through its banking ties with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and confidant. US documents reveal that UBS opened and managed several accounts for Maxwell — widely considered Epstein’s principal accomplice — despite warnings from other financial institutions, and even after Epstein’s arrest. While no wrongdoing has been formally established, these actions raise questions about risk management and internal due‑diligence procedures at Switzerland’s largest bank.
Recent revelations also suggest that Switzerland played a more active role in Epstein’s network than previously recognised, with repeated contacts in Zurich, Geneva, and Verbier involving the financing of trips for young women and questionable introductions. They further highlight Epstein’s connections with prominent figures in Swiss banking. Taken together, these elements represent a significant reputational risk for the Swiss financial sector.
Some thoughts are best kept private, as expressing them publicly might trigger a wave of negative reactions. That’s exactly what happened recently in German‑speaking Switzerland after a job advert openly dismissed candidates of a certain age group.
Posted in early January on a recruitment platform, the advert from a Zurich-based homecare firm sought a team leader — but explicitly excluded Generation Z applicants, meaning people born between the mid‑1990s and 2010. The company wrote that it did not want anyone with a “Monday‑or‑Friday sick note mentality”.
The backlash was immediate. Media outlets, job market experts and young people across German-speaking Switzerland denounced the advert as a clear case of generational discrimination. Entrepreneur Yaël Meier, herself 25, called it “shocking” and based on unfounded stereotypes about people under 30.
The incident has reignited debate over Gen Z’s work ethic. While some employers accuse young workers of being less resilient under pressure, data shows that absenteeism is rising across all age groups and that Gen Z is not working less but rather seeking meaningful employment and decent working conditions.
The week ahead
The Winter Olympics are still underway, and the Swiss delegation may well add to its medal tally. All eyes will be on Saturday’s giant slalom, where Marco Odermatt is expected to shine.
In economic news, the coming week will see several major companies — including Coop, Migros Bank, Sunrise and Glencore — publish their 2025 financial results.
Culturally, the week will be marked by the launch or continuation of several carnival celebrations, notably in the cities of Lucerne and Fribourg.
Translated using AI/sb
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