Controversial Swiss attorney general wins re-election
Lauber (centre) looks visibly marked by the weeks of controversy ahead of his re-election by parliament on Wednesday.
Keystone/Peter Schneider
Parliament has re-elected the attorney general, Michael Lauber, amid months of controversy over his handling of an investigation into corruption in world football.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/urs
Español
es
Reelección de fiscal general suizo envuelto en polémica
Lauber won 129 of the 243 votes of the House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday despite recommendations by a key parliamentary committee not to re-elect him for a third four-year term.
His supporters argued that a re-election would undermine the authority of the attorney general, while others called for a reform of the office.
However, opponents of Lauber believe that a scandal surrounding undocumented meetings with FIFA President Gianni Infantino puts at risk his credibility and ability to act. Lauber held at least three confidential meetings with Infantino while the prosecutor’s office was carrying out an ongoing five-year investigation into the Zurich-based world football governing body, FIFA.
Lauber himself has defended his handling of the case.
High-profile position
The move comes after weeks of discussions over Lauber’s violation of procedural rules in a major ongoing investigation into FIFA.
Lauber was also embroiled in a dispute with the watchdog authority of the federal prosecutor’s office and disciplinary proceedings.
Parliament had put off the election for three months for further hearings and probes by parliamentary committees and political parties.
The Swiss attorney generalExternal link prosecutes criminal offences involving major cases of white-collar crime, including corruption, money laundering as well as espionage. However, the prosecutors in the 26 cantons handle the bulk of the other criminal cases.
Lauber was first elected in 2011 following the ousting and resignation respectively of two of his predecessors over the past 20 years. Following a reform of the election procedure nine years ago, parliament took over from the government as electoral body of the high-profile position.
More
More
Scandal circles Swiss prosecutor at heart of FIFA case
This content was published on
Why is Michael Lauber, Switzerland’s federal prosecutor, fighting for his political survival?
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss to reduce administrative burden on farms from 2026
This content was published on
From 2026, the number of inspections of farms is to be reduced, without any loss of quality, said economics minister Guy Parmelin.
Swiss insurance boss proposes Singapore-style healthcare system
This content was published on
CEO of Swiss health insurer Sanitas has said that healthcare costs could be reduced if Switzerland were to follow the Singapore model.
Swiss minister talks crime and security in visit to the Netherlands
This content was published on
Swiss justice minister Beat Jans spent two days in the Netherlands discussing security, police cooperation and justice with international bodies.
Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
This content was published on
Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).
Lilo Baur wins Swiss Grand Prix for performing arts
This content was published on
The Swiss actress and theatre director Lilo Baur has received this year's Swiss Grand Prix for Performing Arts, also known as the Hans Reinhart Ring.
Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
This content was published on
A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.
This content was published on
The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.
Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault
This content was published on
A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.
Attorney general under pressure over alleged meeting with FIFA boss
This content was published on
A probe has been opened to shed light on an alleged third meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
Attorney General to seek re-election despite Football Leaks scandal
This content was published on
Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber says he did nothing wrong meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, despite a FIFA corruption probe.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.