Switzerland plays a crucial role in international politics across many areas. We uncover the complexities of Swiss politics globally and provide fresh perspectives on international developments.
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The dramatic freezing of Ferdinand Marcos’s assets in Switzerland
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Forty years ago Switzerland froze the assets of toppled Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos – a turning point regarding assets of politically exposed people.
As Middle East conflict rages, Swiss tradition of uniting adversaries is changing
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Switzerland’s military neutrality has long enabled it to facilitate communication between adversaries and help settle their disputes. But this traditional role is being tested as international relations grow increasingly turbulent.
Swiss firms exported dual-use goods to Israel during Gaza conflict
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Between 2024 and 2025, several dozen Swiss companies continued to sell goods with potential military use to Israel despite intensified UN criticism of its offensive in Gaza.
Swiss neutrality: government faces difficult decision over Mideast conflict
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If the conflict involving Iran drags on, Switzerland may have to apply its law of neutrality. This could restrict military overflights and arms exports to the United States.
Why Switzerland is struggling with its national defence
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Switzerland’s neighbours increasingly see the country as a potential weak link in European security. But at home defence is hardly a priority on the political agenda.
Switzerland eases arms export rules as its industry is shunned by Europe
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Switzerland will allow the sale of weapons to countries embroiled in conflict, in a move favourable to its defence industry. The country insists such exports are compatible with neutrality.
How Switzerland can move towards an independent digital future
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Switzerland should free itself from its digital dependence on international big tech, writes David Sommer from the Digitale Gesellschaft.
What lies ahead for Switzerland: the major political issues of 2026
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The coming year promises to be a landmark one for Swiss politics. It will be decisive for the future of relations between Switzerland and its European neighbours.
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Bombs in Brighton, timers from Switzerland and secret bank accounts in Geneva. Patrick Ryan, one of the IRA’s leading members, was also a priest.
As aid stalls in Haiti, can attack drones and soldiers end gang violence?
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A ‘forgotten crisis’ that draws little aid money from donors like Switzerland, Haiti is holding its breath as a new international military mission prepares to deploy.
Why UNRWA, a lifeline for Palestinians, is struggling for survival in Lebanon
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The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is facing an existential crisis. A visit to the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut shows how a political tug-of-war is playing out in the lives of the affected population.
Swiss NGO urges Bern to raise its climate ambition as US walks away from accords
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Delia Berner from Alliance Sud says Washington’s exit from climate treaties deals a “bitter blow” to climate justice and makes Switzerland’s climate‑finance delays “irresponsible”.
UN envoy: ‘Water must be put at the top of the political agenda’
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The UN secretary-general’s first special envoy on water, Retno Marsudi, wants member states to put this vital resource at the top of their political agenda.
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North Macedonia has been hit by USAID’s withdrawal. Fears are growing that ‘less Western’ countries will bridge the funding gap.
Swiss universities seek to stem tech espionage after Iranian scandal
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Swiss universities are set to tighten their vetting rules to curb tech espionage amid rising threats from countries like China and Russia.
How a project in Peru supports sustainable cocoa – and serves Swiss interests
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Switzerland supports farmers in Peru so they can produce in a more social and green way – and so chocolate producers have access to cocoa.
Why private finance for sustainable development is still bracing for impact
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Switzerland wants to rely more heavily on private capital to fund sustainable development, despite a mixed record for innovative schemes such as blended finance.
Syrian refugees in Lebanon in dilemma over staying or returning
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After the fall of the Syrian regime, some refugees are returning home, while tens of thousands are once again taking flight.
How a global plan to preserve forests launched a carbon offset debate
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The journey of a UN-backed scheme to prevent deforestation through carbon offsets exposes the challenges of influencing climate-related practices from afar.
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As global trade rules fray, countries are scrambling to shore up export markets and diversify partners. For Switzerland, this could come with an added complication: the ballot box.
How a project in Peru supports sustainable cocoa – and serves Swiss interests
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Switzerland supports farmers in Peru so they can produce in a more social and green way – and so chocolate producers have access to cocoa.
Global trade under strain: why rules still matter for nations like Switzerland
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Former chief economist of the WTO, Ralph Ossa, explains why economies such as Switzerland need to defend and adapt the rules-based system.
Stadler Rail wins billion-franc night train order from Kazakhstan
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Stadler Rail is building almost 600 carriages for night trains in Kazakhstan, which is increasingly attractive for Swiss companies.
US trade deal forces reckoning for Swiss pharma powerhouse
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Swiss pharma made massive investment promises to the US that are fueling anxiety about the industry’s future in Switzerland.
Switzerland among vanguard shaping global digital age
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A new deal on digital services trade between Singapore and EFTA states shows that even coalitions of small economies can help set global standards in the digital age.
Lessons from the US-Swiss tariff dispute: when the ends justify the means
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Tariff negotiations with the United States have been a steep learning curve for Switzerland and its trade diplomacy — and an unprecedented rollercoaster ride.
Facing Trump’s tariffs, Swiss farmers find themselves with too much milk
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Swiss dairy farmers produced a bumper harvest of milk, but higher U.S. duties have forced them to consider ways to cut back, including slaughtering cows.
The dramatic freezing of Ferdinand Marcos’s assets in Switzerland
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Forty years ago Switzerland froze the assets of toppled Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos – a turning point regarding assets of politically exposed people.
Swiss government opts against crackdown on honorary consuls and shady dealings
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Despite a series of dubious incidents involving foreign honorary consuls in Switzerland, the government has decided against tightening oversight.
Swiss neutrality: government faces difficult decision over Mideast conflict
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If the conflict involving Iran drags on, Switzerland may have to apply its law of neutrality. This could restrict military overflights and arms exports to the United States.
Why UNRWA, a lifeline for Palestinians, is struggling for survival in Lebanon
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The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is facing an existential crisis. A visit to the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut shows how a political tug-of-war is playing out in the lives of the affected population.
Switzerland eases arms export rules as its industry is shunned by Europe
This content was published on
Switzerland will allow the sale of weapons to countries embroiled in conflict, in a move favourable to its defence industry. The country insists such exports are compatible with neutrality.
How Switzerland can move towards an independent digital future
This content was published on
Switzerland should free itself from its digital dependence on international big tech, writes David Sommer from the Digitale Gesellschaft.
Global trade under strain: why rules still matter for nations like Switzerland
This content was published on
Former chief economist of the WTO, Ralph Ossa, explains why economies such as Switzerland need to defend and adapt the rules-based system.
Why Palantir is becoming a risky bet for Switzerland
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Zurich serves as a hub for US tech company Palantir’s business relations. The Swiss foreign ministry now has the company in its sights, because of its controversial role in Gaza.
Syrian refugees in Lebanon in dilemma over staying or returning
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After the fall of the Syrian regime, some refugees are returning home, while tens of thousands are once again taking flight.
Truth or tale: can any foreigner place millions at a Swiss bank?
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Scandals featuring foreign despots hiding assets in Switzerland have prompted Swissinfo readers to ask if anyone can really place large sums of money in the country’s banks.
Science podcast: climate migration in Bangladesh – an unexpected reality
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Climate migration in Bangladesh: an unexpected reality. Discover where people go when climate change forces them to relocate. Tune in!
As Middle East conflict rages, Swiss tradition of uniting adversaries is changing
This content was published on
Switzerland’s military neutrality has long enabled it to facilitate communication between adversaries and help settle their disputes. But this traditional role is being tested as international relations grow increasingly turbulent.
Swiss firms exported dual-use goods to Israel during Gaza conflict
This content was published on
Between 2024 and 2025, several dozen Swiss companies continued to sell goods with potential military use to Israel despite intensified UN criticism of its offensive in Gaza.
As aid stalls in Haiti, can attack drones and soldiers end gang violence?
This content was published on
A ‘forgotten crisis’ that draws little aid money from donors like Switzerland, Haiti is holding its breath as a new international military mission prepares to deploy.
Swiss government opts against crackdown on honorary consuls and shady dealings
This content was published on
Despite a series of dubious incidents involving foreign honorary consuls in Switzerland, the government has decided against tightening oversight.
This content was published on
Since the start of the US-Israeli attack on Iran, an old topic has re-emerged in Switzerland: the Swiss protecting power mandate representing US interests in Iran.
Swiss neutrality: government faces difficult decision over Mideast conflict
This content was published on
If the conflict involving Iran drags on, Switzerland may have to apply its law of neutrality. This could restrict military overflights and arms exports to the United States.
Why Switzerland is struggling with its national defence
This content was published on
Switzerland’s neighbours increasingly see the country as a potential weak link in European security. But at home defence is hardly a priority on the political agenda.
This content was published on
As global trade rules fray, countries are scrambling to shore up export markets and diversify partners. For Switzerland, this could come with an added complication: the ballot box.
Why UNRWA, a lifeline for Palestinians, is struggling for survival in Lebanon
This content was published on
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is facing an existential crisis. A visit to the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut shows how a political tug-of-war is playing out in the lives of the affected population.
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International Geneva is one of the reasons why Switzerland has a reputation as a diplomatic powerhouse. But the location is weakening.
A сentury of сhemical warfare: why the global ban matters
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Using chemical weapons has long been regarded as overstepping the boundary of acceptable warfare. As early as 1675, France and Germany agreed in Strasbourg to ban poisoned bullets.
Swiss becomes first woman to head chemical weapons body
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Sabrina Dallafior will assume the role of OPCW director-general in July, at a time when the use of deadly toxins against civilians has intensified worldwide, from Syria to Ukraine.
Swiss NGO urges Bern to raise its climate ambition as US walks away from accords
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Delia Berner from Alliance Sud says Washington’s exit from climate treaties deals a “bitter blow” to climate justice and makes Switzerland’s climate‑finance delays “irresponsible”.
Switzerland eases arms export rules as its industry is shunned by Europe
This content was published on
Switzerland will allow the sale of weapons to countries embroiled in conflict, in a move favourable to its defence industry. The country insists such exports are compatible with neutrality.
UN envoy: ‘Water must be put at the top of the political agenda’
This content was published on
The UN secretary-general’s first special envoy on water, Retno Marsudi, wants member states to put this vital resource at the top of their political agenda.
This content was published on
North Macedonia has been hit by USAID’s withdrawal. Fears are growing that ‘less Western’ countries will bridge the funding gap.
Swiss-EU accords have more support in Strasbourg than in Bern
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In the European Parliament, a new package of agreements between Bern and Brussels is seen as cementing an essential partnership in the face of geopolitical tensions.
How Switzerland can move towards an independent digital future
This content was published on
Switzerland should free itself from its digital dependence on international big tech, writes David Sommer from the Digitale Gesellschaft.
Swiss universities seek to stem tech espionage after Iranian scandal
This content was published on
Swiss universities are set to tighten their vetting rules to curb tech espionage amid rising threats from countries like China and Russia.
How a project in Peru supports sustainable cocoa – and serves Swiss interests
This content was published on
Switzerland supports farmers in Peru so they can produce in a more social and green way – and so chocolate producers have access to cocoa.
Venezuela’s new interim leader Delcy Rodríguez faces Swiss sanctions
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Delcy Rodríguez, named interim president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court following the recent US capture of Nicolás Maduro, has featured on a Swiss sanctions list since 2018.
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The Swiss government has frozen Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s suspected assets in Switzerland with immediate effect.
Why private finance for sustainable development is still bracing for impact
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Switzerland wants to rely more heavily on private capital to fund sustainable development, despite a mixed record for innovative schemes such as blended finance.
