The President of the Swiss Red Cross (SRC), Barbara Schmid-Federer, has resigned for “health reasons” following heavy criticism of her leadership style.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/mga
Italiano
it
Il presidente della Croce Rossa Svizzera si dimette dopo un rapporto schiacciante
“The past few months have been intense and stressful for me. The attacks on the reputation of the SRC and on myself have pushed me to the limit of my resilience,” Schmid-Federer said in a statement on Friday.
Schmid-Federer’s leadership style was taken apart by an independent report into the dismissal of SRC Director Markus Mader in December.
This led to the resignations of four members of the Red Cross Council that oversees the SRC.
The report, made public last week, said Schmid-Federer of displaying “little suitability and will to lead and a lack of courage to face challenging or uncomfortable situations”.
Although Schmid-Federer rejected the report’s findings, she has now decided to step down.
According to media reports, the leadership spat has resulted in a drop in donations to the SRC, with some major donors suspending their support until the problems were resolved.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign Affairs
How a top Swiss university is screening Chinese students
Two decades after tsunami, Swiss tourists flock to Southeast Asia
This content was published on
Twenty years after a catastrophic tsunami in Southeast Asia, the region is again a top destination for Swiss, including at Christmas.
Swiss forests better equipped for storms 25 years after Lothar
This content was published on
Twenty-five years after Hurricane Lothar wreaked havoc in Switzerland, the country’s forests are better prepared, experts say.
Media: Swiss medical services done abroad are billed at Swiss rates
This content was published on
In Switzerland, some medical services carried out abroad are still billed at Swiss rates, despite costing less, RTS reports.
This content was published on
Sophie Hediger, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, has died in an avalanche in Arosa. She was 26 years old.
This content was published on
Several Swiss films exceeded the 100,000 admissions mark worldwide in 2024 and received widespread praise at international film festivals.
Swiss Alpine resorts covered in white gold for Christmas
This content was published on
Many areas at low altitudes in Switzerland are enjoying a blanket of snow. In the mountains, intense precipitation has delighted skiers.
SWISS makes emergency landing in Austria after smoke in cockpit
This content was published on
Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) made an emergency landing of an Airbus in Graz, Austria on Monday evening after engine problems.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss Red Cross launches digital advice for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
The Swiss Red Cross has launched an online platform to help Ukrainian refugees navigate through the initial steps of arriving in Switzerland.
Swiss Solidarity finances 11 projects in earthquake regions
This content was published on
Two months after the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Swiss Solidarity has financed 11 projects of Swiss partner organisations.
Former ambassador and Swiss Red Cross president dies
This content was published on
The former Swiss ambassador Franz Muheim has died aged 89. He played a significant role in Switzerland’s attempt to join the United Nations.
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.