The week in Switzerland
Dear readers,
The school holidays have begun in most cantons and Switzerland has now entered vacation mode. That doesn’t mean, however, that the country has slipped into the traditional summer news lull.
The Football World Cup, together with the heatwave and its consequences, have dominated the headlines this week.
Enjoy the read!
Football fever has reached new heights in Switzerland this week. And with good reason: the national team has qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, the year Switzerland hosted the tournament.
Switzerland edged past Colombia in a penalty shoot-out after 120 goalless minutes. The match was not particularly well received by the international press. The British newspaper the Daily Mail described it as “the worst” match of the round of 16. A victory without much flair, perhaps, but a victory nonetheless.
Next up is a far sterner challenge: reigning world champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi. Having pulled off a miracle against Egypt, the Albiceleste are moving forward with a firm belief in their destiny and their strength. Kick-off is at 3am Swiss time on Sunday.
The World Cup also reached Switzerland this week in the form of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who has become embroiled in a fresh controversy. A red card shown to a US player ahead of the United States’ round-of-16 match against Belgium was reportedly overturned following a direct call from US President Donald Trump. The unprecedented intervention stunned the Belgian Football Association and prompted several members of the European Parliament to call for an investigation into Infantino. Belgium ultimately had the last word, defeating the US 4–1.
Alongside football, the heat has been Switzerland’s other defining story this week. No sooner had the country recovered from June’s heatwave than another settled high-pressure system sent temperatures soaring once again. MeteoSwiss has issued level-three heatwave warnings for much of the country.
The greatest concern, in Switzerland as elsewhere in Europe, is drought. “Its scale is already highly exceptional. The groundwork was laid by a dry spring. And the first half of summer isn’t even over yet,” meteorologist Klaus Marquardt told Blick.
Beyond the impact on crops, the dry conditions have sharply increased the risk of wildfires. Seven field fires have broken out in canton Vaud in less than a week. Several cantons have banned fires in forests, while local restrictions on filling swimming pools and watering gardens have also been introduced.
The heat is also taking a toll on people and wildlife. New figures show the most recent heatwave contributed to around 200 excess deaths, particularly among people aged over 65. Rising water temperatures are putting fish under pressure, prompting several cantons to introduce emergency measures. Baby birds are leaving overheated nests before they can fly, while dehydrated and starving hedgehogs are increasingly ending up at wildlife rescue centres.
Not all species are struggling with the heat. While some are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt, others are thriving – and in some cases expanding their range. And not always to our delight.
The red kite is one such example. Since the 1970s, its population has grown steadily, with some of the world’s highest densities now found in canton Fribourg and the Broye region of canton Vaud. Climate change and the fragmented landscape of the Swiss Plateau have created ideal conditions, providing abundant food and encouraging many birds to remain in Switzerland year-round rather than migrate. The country is now home to around 10% of the global red kite population.
Far smaller, but far less welcome, is the oak processionary caterpillar. Its toxic hairs, easily carried by the wind, can trigger severe allergic reactions. According to the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), warmer temperatures have accelerated the species’ spread. It is now colonising several hectares of forest in eastern Switzerland, where it was once virtually unknown.
Since the start of summer, Switzerland has experienced an unprecedented wave of burglaries targeting gun shops. In just a few weeks, at least six stores have been broken into across several cantons, often by very young suspects, most of them from France. Authorities say the trend is deeply concerning.
Investigators believe the burglaries are highly organised. Criminal networks recruit teenagers through platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram to carry out fast, high-risk raids. The methods have become increasingly brazen, involving explosives, high-speed getaways exceeding 200 km/h, abandoned getaway cars and escapes by post bus or train.
Fedpol says the burglaries are orchestrated by international criminal groups that use minors as “foot soldiers”, lured by the promise of easy money. Some of the stolen weapons have already resurfaced in France in connection with urban violence, heightening concerns among Swiss authorities.
Switzerland has repeatedly been targeted by crime originating in France, including ATM explosions, luxury car thefts and carjackings. But perpetrators do not always escape justice. This week, five people were charged in France over the burglary and unlawful detention of former Formula One champion Alain Prost at his home in Nyon. Three adults remain in pre-trial detention, while two minors are under judicial supervision. All face sentences of up to 30 years in prison.
The week ahead
The Asclepius VI analogue lunar mission begins this weekend at Sasso San Gottardo. For two weeks, an international team of students will simulate life in an underground lunar base in order to carry out scientific experiments.
Have international tensions begun to affect travel? This week, we’ll get some clues with the publication of Zurich Airport’s June passenger figures and the latest hotel overnight stay statistics from the Federal Statistical Office.
On the cultural front, attention turns to Basel, where the Basel Tattoo opens on Friday. For one week, bagpipes, brass bands and military displays will bring a touch of Edinburgh to the city on the Rhine.
Translated from French, sub-edited by Alexandra MV Andrist/acExternal link
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
