Switzerland in 2019: the year in pictures

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The 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg upon her arrival at the Davos train station in January. She drew attention to the issue of global warming on the occasion of the 49th World Economic Forum (WEF). Valentin Flauraud/Keystone

Activists protest in March, wearing masks representing mobile phones to warn against the expansion of the mobile network to 5G. Alessandro Della Valle/Keystone

Members of the 4,000-person Chinese travel group from the cosmetics company "Jeunesse Global" arrive on the Inselli in Lucerne. Urs Flüeler/Keystone

Stranded boats on the shore of the dried-up Lake Gruyère near La Roche in April. Adrien Perritaz/Keystone

Participants during the national women's strike day in Geneva. They were among the hundreds of thousands who drew attention to issues such as equal pay, pressure on part-time workers, domestic work and sexual violence. Martial Trezzini/Keystone

A resident looks at a car washed up against the wall of the house. Heavy thunderstorms and rainfall caused flooding in several places in the canton of Neuchâtel, such as here in Dombresson, in June. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Participants at the "Fete des Vignerons" in Vevey. This wine festival only takes place every 25 years and lasted from July 18 to August 11. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

A grass skier starts a practice session at the Grasski World Championships at the Marbachegg slopes in August. Around 80 participants from ten nations took part in the tournament. Alexandra Wey/Keystone

Christian Stucki celebrates his victory in the final round of the Federal Schwingen Festival in Zug in August. Alexandra Wey/Keystone

The new 100-franc note was unveiled by the Swiss National Bank in the Swiss capital, Bern, in September. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

The hunter Peter Marugg takes a break during the traditional Bündner Hochjagd in September. Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone

Aerial view of the flag ceremony of the Youth Olympic Winter Games 2020 in Lausanne. Valentin Flauraud/Keystone

Solar panels on floating platforms moored on Lac des Toules, an alpine reservoir in the Valais Alps. Valentin Flauraud/Keystone

Regula Rytz (right), president of the Green Party, celebrates her party's historic gain in seats in the parliamentary elections in October. Peter Schneider/Keystone

Interior Minister Alain Berset on the Parliament Square in Bern to mark World Children's Day in November. Marcel Bieri/Keystone

A screen shows the official decommissioning of the Mühleberg nuclear power plant in December. Anthony Anex/Keystone

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From climate change to the Green wave in the national elections: in 2019, our relationship with nature was more often than not at the centre of major public debates. 

The year began with Greta Thunberg in Davos and ended with political manoeuvring that almost brought the Green Party into government.  

Another highlight was the women’s strike. On June 14, some 500,000 people took to the streets throughout Switzerland – the largest political event since the general strike 100 years ago, according to the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions.

Both events reflected seismic shifts in Swiss society that also could be felt in the federal election in October: the Green parties and women advanced.

One more change: Roger Federer, Switzerland’s star tennis player, had to settle for second place in the annual Swiss Sports Personality of the Year. 

This year’s winner was Christian Stucki. The 34-year old, who weighs in at 140 kg, prevailed in the sawdust ring of the historic Federal Schwingen (Swiss wrestling) Festival. 

His reign as “schwingen king” lasts three years. He was handed a laurel wreath and a magnificent bull as his prizes.