Macron in Switzerland: ‘you may not know it, but you are also Europeans’

Emmanuel Macron, flanked by Swiss President Alain Berset, inspecting the troops in Bern. © Keystone /peter Klaunzer

Swiss-EU relations were the overriding theme as the French President arrived in Bern on Wednesday for an eagerly-anticipated two-day state visit.

Switzerland had to wait six years to be accorded an official visit by Emmanuel Macron, who landed on Wednesday afternoon in the capital city alongside his wife and a large delegation. He was greeted at the airport by current Swiss President Alain Berset.

A sense of impatience and a certain tension had taken over the Swiss capital in the hours before the high-profile arrival. Parliament square was fully sealed off for the occasion, and security forces scanned the skies from nearby rooftops. French, European Union, and Swiss flags fluttered in the breeze.

The Macrons landed at Bern-Belp airport on Wednesday afternoon, where they were met by Swiss President Alain Berset and his wife Muriel Zeender Berset. © Keystone /anthony Anex

Around a thousand people, also armed with miniature Swiss and French flags, had gathered around parliament to witness the arrival of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron. To liven up the wait, there was the meticulous preparation of the military welcome ceremony: uniforms and positions being checked again and again, boots shined one last time.

Even the sun made an appearance, just as the presidential couple arrived at parliament shortly before 3 pm. Flanked by Alain Berset and his wife Muriel, the Macrons greeted all the other members of the governing Swiss Federal Council, as well as delegations from both countries. The two presidents then walked the red carpet in front of parliament to inspect the troops.

After listening to the French and Swiss national anthems, the two presidential couples mingled with the crowd of onlookers, chatting and taking selfies.

This time, there were no noteworthy incidents – as there was during the previous French state visit in 2015, when a young man posed for a photo, with raised middle finger, next to François Hollande. The image caused something of a scandal, especially when it turned out that the man worked for the Bern city authorities.

‘Switzerland needs the EU’

Following the welcome ceremony, the grand lobby of the parliament building took centre stage for presidential speeches. In his address, Macron delivered a strong message about relations between Switzerland and Europe: “the EU needs Switzerland, but I also believe that Switzerland needs the EU”, he said.

Last week, the Swiss government – after having dropped talks on a framework agreement with the EU in 2021 – said it planned to adopt a new negotiating mandate by the end of this year. Macron said this first step should be followed by concrete results: “France supports the European community’s desire to move forward,” he said.

For his part, Berset stressed that “Switzerland is not so isolated in the centre of Europe, since many facets of France can be found here”. He highlighted the various commonalities and historic links between the two countries, which share both a language and a culture.

Close economic ties

Some 210,000 Swiss citizens live in France, making it the biggest Swiss Abroad community in the world. Around 160,000 French live in Switzerland, while over 220,000 cross the border to work here each day.

Economically, France is Switzerland’s fifth-largest trading partner after Germany, the United States, Italy and China. The value of economic exchange between the two countries in 2022 was CHF36.2 billion ($40.71 billion).

Switzerland is meanwhile the third-largest source of foreign direct investment in France, after the US and Germany. In the other direction, France is the fourth-largest investor in Switzerland.

Speeches marked by war

Macron also mentioned the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as conflicts in the Middle East, the Sahel, and Nagorno-Karabakh. He particularly praised Switzerland’s “clear [and] strong engagement in condemning the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and in adopting EU sanctions”.

“In this respect, we must continue to work together and also to do more, each according to its means,” he said.

Berset also spoke of the return of conflict in and around Europe, declaring that “our world is bleeding”. “Political solutions certainly exist, but national retreat is not one of them,” he said. To this end, he judged that Macron, with his multilateral and international approach, was “leading by example”.

‘Europe is part of Switzerland’s DNA’

At a press conference at the end of the day, the Europe question was again central. “You might not know it,” Macron told the gathering, “but you are also Europeans”. “Every day, due to your geographic position, to the openness of your country, you interact with the rest of Europe.”

In Macron’s view, “Europe is part of Switzerland’s DNA”. However, he said, “there is a unique relationship between Switzerland and Europe, which we all appreciate, which is to not join the EU”.

Macron and Berset in a packed press room on Wednesday evening. © Keystone / Peter Schneider

Berset agreed that “Switzerland is profoundly European – by its geographic position, but also due to its values and culture”. Ensuring stable relations with the EU is essential to the country, he said.

As for the recent Swiss government decision regarding the new negotiating mandate for talks with Brussels, Berset said it was “an important step in our strategy which aims to strengthen and develop bilaterally-led relations with the EU”.

Translated from French by Domhnall O’Sullivan/gw