Switzerland

Change of heart in Bern?

The Federal Council welcomes the US government’s peace efforts in Ukraine. Is this the start of a U-turn in Swiss foreign policy?

by Michael Straumann*

(7 March 2025) US Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference caused a stir. He sharply criticised politicians in EU countries for no longer respecting the democratic will of their own people and restricting freedom of expression. Vance received widespread support for this in social media. By contrast, the politicians of the old parties in Europe, especially in Germany, were not impressed.

Swiss government continues to practice double standards

by Christian Müller*

(14 February 2025) Can a woman be “a little bit pregnant”? No, either she is pregnant, or she is not! It is the same with neutrality: either a state is neutral, or it is not neutral. But the Swiss government is pursuing a US- and NATO-friendly course, while claiming that, as a “neutral country”, it is also a good place for peace talks.
Switzerland

E-ID-Act: People’s will ignored

by Michael Straumann,* Switzerland

(2 February 2025) In 2021, the Swiss rejected the e-ID Act. The Federal Council and parliament are now trying to push the electronic identity through with a new Act. – It is not the citizens who are delegitimising the state, it is the state itself.
International Health Regulations (IHR)

Uphold the rule of law

Recognise WHO as an instrument of power and act accordingly

by Dr. med. Sabine Vuilleumier-Koch

(17 January 2025) The event organised by the “Swiss Standpoint” on 3/4 January 2025 with lic. iur. Jürg Vollenweider, former Senior Public Prosecutor in the Canton of Zurich,was met with great interest. His lecture more than met his objective: “We have to educate people about the new WHO regulations and their impact on our fundamental freedoms in their own language, so that they can understand the dangerous tendencies towards the expansion of uncontrolled power structures.” His stimulating, differentiated presentation informed and encouraged the audience to ask many questions and develop their own considerations.

National Council does not want to deal with Sky Shield – refusal to work?

by politbeobachter.ch

(17 January 2025) “What happened so far ...”: On 7 July 2023, the head of the DDPS, Viola Amherd, signed the declaration of intent to join Sky Shield and the additional declaration by Switzerland and Austria at the D-A-CH meeting in Bern. The security policy commissions learned of the signing of the declaration of intent from the media. After the Federal Council approved the declaration of accession on 10 April 2024, the Security Policy Commission was informed of the Federal Council’s decision on 14 May 2024 and consulted on it.
Switzerland

The Federal Council waves through framework agreements 2.0 with the EU

Is the Federal Council squandering its most precious asset?

  • Switzerland’s most precious asset is the voters’ trust in the federal government. The Federal Council is acting by waving through the framework agreements with the EU according to the principle “press on regardless”.
  • This agreement forces Switzerland to adopt laws “made in Brussels” unreflected – or to take into account sanctions. For the economy, this means preparing for more bureaucracy.
  • autonomiesuisse calls upon Parliament and people to save the Swiss success model, and upon the Federal Council to listen more to the citizens of Switzerland than to the bureaucrats in Brussels.