‘Rich and weak’: is Switzerland easy prey?

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War & peace

‘Rich and weak’: is Switzerland easy prey?

Hosted by: Giannis Mavris

Where does Switzerland stand in the world? And where is it heading? I focus on current and possible future developments. After completing my studies (history, law and European studies), I worked for a time at the Swiss embassy in Athens. I have journalistic experience at home and abroad, at the local and national levels, as a freelancer and as a staff journalist. Today, it's with an international focus.

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Wealth offers little protection for a small country like Switzerland in today’s increasingly aggressive world, says Thomas Süssli, who recently stepped down as head of the Swiss armed forces. He warns that Switzerland lacks sufficient military readiness.

Swiss neutrality has long been armed, reflecting a belief that the country could be drawn into a war. One of the central foreign-policy debates now is whether Switzerland should move closer to the European Union and NATO, an issue that has been fiercely contested for some time.

The country is also facing major economic challenges. Last year Switzerland found itself at the sharp end of a trade dispute with the US, facing steep import tariffs justified by Switzerland’s prosperity – tariffs imposed on Swiss goods by the US eventually fell from 39% to 15% – showing how even supposed allies can suddenly become a risk.

Is Switzerland well equipped for a world where strength, not rules, seem to determine outcomes? And what should it do to hold its own in such testing times? Let us know in the comments below!