Snapshots of 2025 through a Swiss lens

In the last ten years, only one white Christmas in the Swiss lowlands was recorded. There was no snow this year either. Keystone / Michael Buholzer

For Switzerland, 2025 was a year marked by economic, political and climatic challenges.
But there were also many cheerful moments and traditional events. The Swissinfo picture
desk looks back from a subjective perspective.

Early in 2025 the World Economic Forum in Davos attracted a great deal of international interest. As always, numerous members of the international business community attended. Among the 2,800 registered participants there were 900 CEOs.

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A team in costumes races down the downhill course during the 11th Bathtub Race on Saturday, January 25 in Stoos. Keystone / Urs Flueeler

The World Economic Forum annual meeting gathered entrepreneurs, scientists, political and corporate leaders. On January 22, during the 55th annual meeting, Greenpeace activists confiscated a private jet at the airport in Sameden to protest for higher taxation on the wealthy. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

On January 20, Swiss cabinet minister Guy Parmelin welcomed China’s Vice Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang during a working visit in Bern. Keystone / Peter Schneider

A man with a mannequin from the Jelmoli department store on famous Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, photographed on February 28. After more than 125 years, this historic department store was closing its doors for good. Keystone / Ennio Leanza

The vibrant tradition of log rafting on Lake Ägeri has a rich history, with events held every four to five years since 1850. This year, the log rafting took place on March 8. Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Cabinet minister Albert Rösti and Peter Stähli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bernexpo, joined other distinguished guests from politics and business in connecting a power cable during the official opening ceremony of a the new exhibition hall in Bern on April 25. Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

Civil defense personnel transported a wild boar carcass during an epidemic exercise organised by the canton of Graubünden to address African swine fever. This event took place on April 3, in Grono. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Ibex walk along the wall of the Salanfe dam in search of saltpetre on May 16, in Evionnaz. Standing 52 meters high, the Salanfe dam has a 75-degree slope. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

Spectators viewing the performance of the Swiss participant Zoë Më at a public viewing in St. Jakob Park, during the grand-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel on Saturday, May 17. Keystone / Til Buergy

On Tuesday, May 20 a cow was airlifted by helicopter from the landslide area near Bietschhorn in the Lötschental valley to a farm in Ferden. The village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley had to be fully evacuated due to the risk of rockfalls, affecting approximately 300 residents. Keystone / Peter Klaunzer

On June 5, a house submerged in the water of the Lonza River, following the formation of a lake that has affected the last houses of the village of Blatten. A significant portion of the village, located in the canton of Valais, was buried under heavy masses of ice, mud, and rock after a massive avalanche triggered by the collapse of the Birch Glacier. Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Many spectators enjoyed the parade during the 66th Central Swiss Yodelling Festival held in the village of Menznau on June 29. Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Susanne Wille, director general of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SBC, addressed a media conference about SBC’s future organisation on June 30 in Bern. Keystone / Til Buergy

For the first time, the largest Swiss flag wasn’t displayed on Mount St. Gotthard, but on a meadow at Schwägalp on July 31. The occasion was the celebration of the Swiss National Day on August 1. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Lisa Mazzone, President of the Swiss Green Party, along with party members, poses for a group photo holding signs representing solar panels. This photo was taken after they unanimously adopted a resolution against nuclear power during the Swiss Green Party delegates’ meeting on Saturday, August 23, in Vicques. Keystone / Anthony Anex

The Migros anniversary show was part of a two-day celebration marking 100 years of the supermarket chain Migros. It was held on September 2, at the Mollis airfield, and was attended by around 40,000 employees of Migros Switzerland. Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji celebrates after winning the women’s 100m hurdles final during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 15. Afp Or Licensors

The Swatch watch brand responded to the 39% tariffs imposed on Switzerland by the US by swapping the numbers 3 and 9 on the watch face in September. Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle

Pro-Palestine activists clashed with police during two simultaneous demonstrations: a silent march for Israel against anti-Semitism and a an anti-Zionist rally on September 18 in Lausanne. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

Swiss screenwriter Dino Brandao (right) and Swiss director Moris Freiburghaus (left) celebrate after winning the Golden Eye Award for their film “I Love You, I Leave You” in the documentary film category at the award night of the 21st Zurich Film Festival on October 4. Keystone / Andreas Becker

A full moon illuminates the summit of the Chamossaire in the Vaud Alps of Switzerland on November 5. This full moon, called the Beaver Moon, was the second supermoon of 2025. Keystone / Cyril Zingaro

The village of Brienz-Brinzauls is again evacuated since November 2024, a precaution due to the risk of landslides. Earlier, in June 2023, the village narrowly escaped a debris flow. In the days before November 27, 2025, when this photo was taken, another rockfall threatened the village. This has now turned into a slow flow of debris. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Seagulls sit on the railing of a jetty in Sempach on a foggy winter morning, December 9. Caroline Mohnke / Keystone

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Later in the year global warming took its toll and a massive landslide has to be included in every year-end review of 2025: After a glacier collapsed on May 28, an avalanche erased most of the mountain village of Blatten. Over 300 residents were evacuated, most of them lost their home.

Politically, much energy was absorbed by the dispute with the USA over the level of tariffs. In April, US President Donald Trump announced 31% tariffs on Swiss imports, end of July he fixed them on 39%, sending shockwaves through Switzerland. The discussions then became heated, before in November an agreement was finally reached, including considerable compromises from the Swiss side.

On the lighter side of life Switzerland hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in May, which was held in Basel. The Swiss contribution came tenth, convincing the jury more than the public. In July, Switzerland’s women’s football team thrilled their fans by reaching the quarter-finals of the European Championship on home soil.

Text: Reto Gysi von Wartburg. Edited by Mark Livingston/ds