Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
In this country, where the economy minister is also a winemaker, the Federal Office for Agriculture says it is “concerned” about the decline in wine consumption. The blame lies with the changing habits of the younger generation.
Today we also cover two criticisms levelled at the Swiss federal government – one external, from Amnesty International, and one internal, from the Federal Audit Office – and... Jackie Chan.
Happy reading!
In its annual report, which was published last night, Amnesty International criticises Switzerland for an erosion of freedom to demonstrate.
The human rights organisation cites, among other examples, the case of Zurich – where a new law requires prior authorisation for demonstrations and allows police costs to be billed to organisers – and Geneva, where a bill seeks to ban certain protests in the city centre.
The Geneva senate is reacting to the growing number of politically motivated demonstrations, which have frustrated local shopkeepers. Amnesty also highlights how students at several schools were threatened with sanctions for participating in protests against the war in Gaza.
The report further criticises Switzerland for its “hesitation” in complying with the European Court of Human Rights ruling in favour of the Climate Elders. And regarding the recent parliamentary debate on suspending Swiss funding to the UNRWA, Amnesty questions Switzerland’s commitment to international law.
Given its humanitarian tradition, the report states, the country should “always, and unequivocally, uphold the global system of human rights protection”.
The Swiss government’s anti-corruption strategy lacks ambition and effectiveness, according to a new audit by the Federal Audit Office (SFAO).
TexThe strategy, which was adopted in 2020 and has now been in force for three years, “does not effectively address, or does not address at all, the main corruption risks associated, for example, with money laundering or lobbying,” the SFAO writes. It calls for urgent improvements.
Although Switzerland has solid legal frameworks to combat corruption, the SFAO notes there are notable gaps – ones also flagged in international evaluations.
The report also highlights tensions between the executive and legislative branches, particularly when government proposals fail in parliament. Examples include stalled legislation on whistleblower protection in the private sector and efforts to bring lawyers’ fiduciary activities under the Money Laundering Act.t
Wine consumption in Switzerland continues to decline, according to the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), which called the development “worrying”.
In 2024, consumption fell by almost 8% compared to the previous year, down to 218.4 million litres. The FOAG attributes the trend partly to changing habits among younger people.
All wine categories saw a decline: white wines fell by 5.9%, red and rosé wines by 9%, and sparkling wines by 2.5%. But Swiss wines were hit hardest: their consumption dropped by 20.7%, shrinking their market share to 35.5%.
“In cinema, there is a before and after Jackie Chan,” said Locarno Film Festival Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro as the festival announced that Chan will receive its prestigious Honorary Leopard.
The award honours lifetime achievement and will be presented during this summer’s 78th edition of the festival, which runs from August 6–16 in southern Switzerland.
“Director, producer, actor, screenwriter, choreographer, singer, athlete, and daredevil stuntman, Jackie Chan is both a key figure in contemporary Asian cinema and one whose influence has rewritten the rules of Hollywood cinema,” Nazzaro added.
Two of Chan’s classic films, Project A (1983) and Police Story (1985), will be screened. He will receive the award on August 9, with a question-and-answer session scheduled for August 10.
Past recipients of the Honorary Leopard include Shah Rukh Khan, Tsai Ming-liang, Claude Goretta, Bruno Ganz, Jane Birkin and Mario Adorf.
Translated from Italian using DeepL/amva
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