Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Being caught in a downpour without an umbrella is never pleasant. I found that out for myself yesterday evening on my way home from work.
It's even less pleasant to realise that these brief showers are nowhere near enough to end the heatwave and drought, the consequences of which we'll look at below.
Enjoy the read!
The heatwave and drought currently affecting Switzerland are being felt from the lowest valleys to the highest peaks, with consequences for both fish and skiers.
“We are heading for the greatest fish die-off of all time,” the co-chair of the Lucerne Cantonal Anglers’ Association told 20 Minuten. It is one of many organisations sounding the alarm over drying-up waterways and water temperatures rising to levels unsuitable for fish. In several cantons, emergency fishing operations have been underway for weeks, relocating fish to cooler stretches of water with higher water levels.
Another sign of the problems caused by this hot, dry summer is coming from the ski slopes. Glacier melt is now so severe that the ski lifts in Zermatt have suspended summer skiing on the Theodul Glacier. An exception has been made for the Swiss national ski team, whose members can continue training, albeit under far from ideal conditions.
“Summers like this have catastrophic effects on glaciers […] and, in the long term, it is clear that summer skiing is destined to disappear,” Christophe Lambiel, a geomorphologist and lecturer at the University of Lausanne, told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
The committee behind the neutrality initiative has launched its campaign ahead of the September 27 referendum. Browsing through today’s news, it is immediately clear who the key figures on the “yes” side are: former government minister Christoph Blocher and… Russia.
Le Temps reports that rarely has a former member of the Swiss government been so deeply involved in a referendum campaign, noting that the proposal to enshrine a strict definition of neutrality in the constitution is now referred to by German-language media as the “Blocher initiative”.
Swiss public broadcaster RTS highlights how, since leaving government, the billionaire has often funded his party’s (the Swiss People’s Party) campaigns. This time, however, he is also taking centre stage with interviews and soundbites, including one published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ): “The Third World War is approaching – should the Federal Council be able to decide at will on war or peace?” In an interview with Watson, the former minister described a Russian attack on the West as the most likely conflict scenario and criticised the sanctions imposed on Moscow in 2022, saying: “Russia has put us on its list of enemies. This is extremely dangerous for Switzerland.”
Russia itself has also become unusually prominent in the campaign. Following the Russian embassy in Switzerland’s recent voting recommendations, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova is “blatantly promoting” the initiative, according to the NZZ. In a statement reproduced in full by the newspaper, Zakharova denounces the concept of “flexible” neutrality and draws parallels between today and Switzerland’s relationship with Nazi Germany.
Responding to accusations from some politicians that the initiative is “pro-Putin”, campaign committee chairman Walter Wobmann said: “We have never had any contact with Russian politicians and, personally, I condemn the attack on Ukraine. However, imposing sanctions was a mistake.”
More and more Swiss people are moving to neighbouring France to escape Switzerland’s high cost of living while continuing to work across the border. The trend is having significant social consequences on both sides of the border.
The Tages-Anzeiger cites the example of Mr. and Mrs. Girardin, who, concerned they would not be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement in Switzerland, now live in the French village of Pougny. They pay a mortgage of CHF3,500 ($4,327) a month – the same amount they previously paid in rent in Geneva – with the advantage that, in 10 years’ time, they will own their home.
The couple are far from alone. There are now 154,700 Swiss citizens living just across the border – more people than live in Lausanne, Switzerland’s fourth-largest city – the newspaper notes, citing figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Over the past seven years, their numbers have risen by 14%. According to a Comparis survey published at the end of July, around 92,400 people – equivalent to 4.2% of the population of French-speaking Switzerland – are actively looking to buy property in France.
The large gap between Swiss and French wages is creating social imbalances in these border regions. Property prices are rising sharply, making it increasingly difficult for people who do not work in Switzerland to afford housing. Essential workers, including healthcare professionals, are also in short supply. The Girardins, for example, had to hire an electrician from more than 100 kilometres away because local tradespeople prefer better-paid work across the border.
Pressure is mounting on Swiss FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with criticism coming not only from national football associations but also from senior officials within the organisation itself.
During his 10 years at the helm of FIFA, Infantino has been involved in a string of controversial projects, the latest being his proposal to sell World Cup rights to private investors. The plan was later withdrawn following strong opposition from, among others, UEFA.
Senior FIFA officials at FIFA, that is headquartered in Zurich, have also distanced themselves from the president. Among them is Secretary General Mattias Grafström, who, in a letter to staff, condemned “a series of sad and reprehensible events” that had “fortunately led to the permanent abandonment” of the privatisation plan.
The latest criticism comes from the head of the Jordanian Football Association, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who today accused FIFA of “extortion”. In a post on X, he said he had been told during the World Cup that his “support for Infantino next March would be of considerable help” to his federation.
Today, Infantino called an emergency meeting of senior FIFA officials in Morocco. According to Reuters, the meeting is linked to the Swiss official’s desire to remain in office at least until March, when FIFA members will elect the organisation’s next president. Infantino is currently the only candidate.
Translated from Italian, sub-edited by Alexandra MV Andrist/ac
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