Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Snow returned to Switzerland this morning. In December, people welcome it – in March, it’s a different story. In any case, no one asked for it.
The United States is once again causing frustration in Switzerland with what is seen as arbitrary behaviour. This time, it concerns money Switzerland paid for F-35 fighter jets, which has now been diverted.
But like unexpected snow, what do you do when you wake up and everything looks different from what you planned?
Good reading!
The ‘No to 10 million’ immigration initiative, launched by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, raises questions for Swiss nationals living abroad. Social Democrats fear a worst-case scenario: no right of return. But the Swiss federal government is seeking to offer reassurances.
The initiative, which is set for a nationwide vote on June 14, calls for Switzerland’s population to be capped at 10 million by 2050, based on the “permanent resident population”. By definition, this excludes the more than 800,000 Swiss citizens living abroad.
In an interview with Blick, Social Democratic Party co-president Cédric Wermuth warned: “Once the 10 million cap has been reached, Swiss citizens living abroad will no longer be able to return to Switzerland.” He described this as a blatant attack on fundamental rights.
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), however, rejects this interpretation. Swiss citizens have the right to settle in Switzerland at any time. “The initiative does not change that,” an SEM spokesperson said.
At the same time, SEM points to a possible indirect effect: if Switzerland were forced to terminate the agreement on the free movement of persons with the EU, this could have consequences for Swiss citizens abroad. “It can be assumed that, in return, Swiss nationals would no longer be allowed to immigrate to the EU,” SEM said.
Switzerland is procuring two major weapons systems from the United States: F-35 fighter jets and Patriot air-defence systems. As the US is unable to deliver the Patriot system for the time being, Switzerland suspended advance payments. But the US is now reportedly reallocating funds – from the same F-35 payments.
Last year, Switzerland was informed that the delivery of five Patriot air-defence batteries would be delayed, potentially by at least five years. Bern then decided to halt advance payments temporarily to increase pressure.
But the strategy has not worked. Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports that “the US is now diverting Swiss fighter jet money on a large scale and using it for the Patriot system”. This is possible because the payments are handled through a single US government fund, regardless of their original purpose.
According to SRF, a “low three-digit million amount” has been transferred from F-35 payments to the Patriot programme. Switzerland therefore had to inject additional funds to maintain its payment schedule for the fighter jets. Defence procurement chief Urs Loher described the situation as “very unsatisfactory”. “But the balance of power is quite clear,” he declared.
They are among the most well-known emigrant families in German-speaking Switzerland. When the Schönbächler family moved to Canada in 2010, Swiss television followed them. One scene from the programme later became a viral YouTube clip – and was commercially exploited. Now the family is pushing back.
Hermann Schönbächler, with his long beard and cheerful manner, became a familiar face as he and his family settled in the Canadian wilderness. In the most famous scene, he tells his young son Richi to hold on tightly as he climbs down from a digger. The boy slips, prompting his father to shout: “Richi, i ha gseit du söusch di guet häbe!” (“Richi, I told you to hold on tight!”)
The clip became an internet meme and was later turned into a hit song by Swiss band Stubete Gäng. It was even adopted by the Swiss national ice hockey team. Merchandise followed – mugs, cards, socks, books and stickers – all without the family’s consent.
The Schönbächler family has now criticised this in a Facebook post, asserting their personal rights. The products have since been removed from online shops. Stubete Gäng has not yet responded.
Swiss Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Paris criminal court for the rape of three women.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday. He was tried him in absentia and behind closed doors. The 63-year-old, who has Egyptian roots, was found guilty of rape, as well as the rape of a vulnerable person.
Ramadan was born in Geneva and is the grandson of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2024 a Swiss appeals court convicted him of rape and sexual coercion in a separate case in Geneva. The offences in this latest case were committed between 2009 and 2016.
“Consent to sexual acts does not mean consenting to every act of any kind,” the presiding judge said. Ramadan has been banned from contacting the victims or speaking publicly about the offences. After serving his sentence, he will also be barred from residing in France.
Translated using AI/amva/sb
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