Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The past week was marked by heated debates over whether Switzerland should once again allow the construction of new nuclear power plants. What is behind this apparent change of direction?
And on Wednesday, Switzerland lost one of its best-known intellectuals. Former parliamentarian, sociologist and UN Special Rapporteur Jean Ziegler died at the age of 92.
Warm regards from Bern
Does anyone still remember the nuclear phase-out approved by voters in 2017? In Bern, certainty about the end of nuclear power appears to be fading. Energy security and independence are increasingly shaping the debate.
Nuclear energy is experiencing a resurgence. According to a recent survey, 55% of respondents support the “Blackout Initiative”, which would effectively lift the current ban on building new nuclear power plants. Parliament spent much of this week debating whether Switzerland should reconsider its nuclear future.
Not everyone is convinced. The news site Watson warns of a potential cost trap, arguing that new nuclear power plants could undermine the profitability of Swiss hydropower. The Centre Party is calling for greater clarity before any decision is taken, arguing that the federal government must first explain who would bear the billions of francs in financial risk.
The Senate took a surprisingly conservative position on another issue: Sunday shopping hours. An alliance of the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and parts of the Swiss People’s Party blocked a proposal to increase the number of Sundays on which shops may open. Despite pressure from retailers, Sunday should remain a protected “breathing space for society”, argued Centre Party parliamentarian Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger.
Another event that resonated far beyond Switzerland this week was the death of Jean Ziegler. The former parliamentarian died on Wednesday at the age of 92. Obituaries paid tribute to the politician, sociology professor and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, who went from being the son of a civil servant in Thun to an internationally known critic of global inequality.
Jean Ziegler, a combative figure in Swiss public life, once claimed he became a communist through football. In an interview with 24 Heures in 2017, now republished online, he recalled being fascinated by the “collective intelligence” of team play as a junior footballer at FC Thun. For him, solidarity and cooperation represented an alternative to individual competition.
Despite his often fierce political battles, he also maintained unlikely friendships. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) recounts his mutual respect with Swiss People’s Party patriarch Christoph Blocher, who famously remarked on Ziegler’s 80th birthday: “Unfortunately, I find this man likeable.”
Geneva became the centre of Ziegler’s political life. According to a story he often told, Che Guevara once persuaded him not to follow him to Cuba, arguing instead that Geneva was the “brain of the monster” and therefore the place where the struggle should be fought. Ziegler spent decades criticising Switzerland’s financial centre, which he described as a symbol of “predatory capitalism”.
There are now only seven. Excluding Russia, the G7 countries will meet from June 15 to 17 in Evian, France. Yet the summit is creating major challenges on the Swiss side of the border.
Geneva’s shops have boarded up windows and entrances to protect themselves against possible unrest. According to Watson, some joinery firms have struggled to keep up with demand for protective installations. Many businesses are choosing to remain closed during the summit.
Although all delegations will stay in France, Switzerland is mobilising around 4,000 army personnel. The military will help secure Geneva Airport, while police forces are preparing for possible demonstrations and disturbances.
There is also diplomatic friction. No agreement has yet been reached between Switzerland and France on how the security costs should be shared. Meanwhile, Geneva’s hospitals have reduced elective procedures by 20% to ensure capacity remains available should major incidents occur.
State-owned defence contractor Ruag has endured another difficult week. First came revelations that it had paid a ransom to hackers despite federal guidance discouraging such payments. Now questions are also being raised about its role in the F-35 fighter jet programme.
In a rare public admission, Chair Jürg Rötheli confirmed that the federally owned defence company RUAG paid a ransom to the hacker group Akira after data was stolen from a US subsidiary. According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), the payment was made without the knowledge of the defence ministry.
The company is also facing industrial challenges. According to an investigation by Swiss public broadcaster SRF, RUAG’s facility in Emmen is expected to assemble only three F-35 fighter jets rather than four because Swiss production costs are considered too high. This could hamper the development of expertise that Ruag hopes will sustain its future maintenance business.
According to the Tages-Anzeiger, the company is also grappling with leadership instability and the unresolved tank spare-parts fraud scandal that caused losses worth millions of francs. Confidence in the company appears to be declining both in parliament and within the armed forces.
The week ahead
On Monday, you can read our analysis of how Swiss citizens living abroad voted in Sunday’s referendum. Two proposals are at stake: the ‘No to 10 million’ immigration initiative, which aims to limit the permanent resident population, and an amendment to the Civilian Service Act intended to ensure that civilian service remains the exception rather than the rule.
What is the state of the Swiss population’s health? On Tuesday, Switzerland’s annual health survey, the “Health Forecast”, will be published.
On Friday, an unusual press conference will take place in the Fribourg municipality of Cheyres on Lake Neuchâtel. As part of a conservation programme, several European pond turtles will be released into the Grande Cariçaie wetland. The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is Switzerland’s only native turtle species and is threatened with extinction.
On Saturday, Murten will commemorate the 550th anniversary of the Battle of Murten. On June 22, 1476, the Swiss Confederates inflicted a decisive defeat on the forces of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.
Translated using AI/amva/sb
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