Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Today's selection of news brings a wealth of figures and statistics. Unfortunately, the trends in industry, agriculture and even religion are all pointing downwards.

To end on a positive note, however, we bring you the story of a luxury Swiss watch that's finally being reunited with its rightful owner.

Happy reading!

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Weather woes for Swiss agriculture

Switzerland’s challenging weather conditions this year have significantly impacted agricultural yields, with most crops suffering reduced harvests.

2024 has been marked by heavy rainfall and insufficient sunlight, conditions far from ideal for farming. Bread cereals have been particularly affected, with production figures revealing the worst harvest in 25 years: bread wheat down by 31.6%, spelt by 45.8% and rye by 29.4%.

Other sectors, such as forage cereals and rapeseed, have also faced significant declines.

While such a scenario might have caused famine in the early 19th century, modern solutions have averted any crisis. The Federal Council has authorised increased imports to ensure sufficient stock levels until the next harvest, according to the Swiss Cereals, Oilseeds and Protein Crops Industry Organisation (swiss granum).

• Read and watch the full report on Swiss public radio, RTSExternal link (in French)

Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Job cuts at Swiss steel

The Swiss Steel Group is grappling with economic challenges. On Friday it announced plans to cut 800 full-time equivalent jobs globally, including 130 at its Emmenbrücke site in canton Lucerne.

This decision, impacting both production and administration, reflects persistently weak demand and difficult economic conditions. The group confirmed that natural attrition alone would not suffice, meaning 80 employees will face redundancy.

These difficulties are not confined to Swiss Steel. The entire steel industry is struggling, compounded by high energy prices. Last weekend, over a thousand people protested against planned job cuts at the Gerlafingen steelworks in canton Solothurn. Swiss parliament is now discussing potential measures to support this “strategic” sector.

• Find more on the Swiss Steel announcement on the Swiss public radio, RSIExternal link website (in Italian)
• Explore parliament’s plans for the steel industry in Le TempsExternal link (in French, paywall)

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Faith in decline

Switzerland’s churches are witnessing an exodus of members, with nearly half the population now saying they do not believe in God.

The Roman Catholic Church saw 67,497 people leave in 2023, almost double the departures of the previous year. The Evangelical Reformed Church also experienced a significant rise in exits.

This trend reflects a growing detachment from institutional religion and, particularly in the Catholic Church, a reaction to ongoing revelations of sexual abuse.

The broader societal shift is clear. According to the “How’s Switzerland Doing?” survey by gfs.bern research institute on behalf of the SBC, swissinfo.ch’s parent company, 52.6% of respondents no longer believe in God, while 75.9% place their faith in science. Furthermore, 49% reject the idea of life after death and 54.2% do not believe in extraterrestrial life.

• Read our Dialogue article on faith in English

Keystone / AP Photo/Steve Sands ** zu Korr **

John Lennon’s Swiss watch returns to Yoko Ono

A Swiss court has ruled that Yoko Ono is the rightful owner of John Lennon’s iconic Swiss watch, thus ending a years-long legal battle.

Yoko Ono gifted the 18-carat gold Patek Philippe watch to Lennon in 1980, two months before his tragic death. It was stolen in 2005 by her chauffeur and sold to an Italian collector. After being consigned to an auction house in Geneva, its provenance was uncovered and legal proceedings began to recover it.

The watch is part of the Patek Philippe “Complications” collection and is inscribed with “(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER LOVE YOKO 10-9-1980 N.Y.C”.

• Discover the full story on Swiss public television, RTSExternal link
  
  

Keystone / Michael Buholzer

Picture of the day

Trains aren’t just a dream for boys – they’re for girls too. This photo, taken at a Swiss Federal Railways depot during the “Future in All Genders” day, highlights efforts to break down gender stereotypes in career choices and address the skills shortage.

Translated from French with DeepL/amva/sb