An iconic ski hat – and the fallout from Credit Suisse Where is Switzerland headed? Our big 2023 election survey Cardada-Cimetta – Switzerland’s sunniest place is a solar research hotspot AUGUST 2023 The magazine for the Swiss Abroad
FÜR DIE PROGRESSIVEN, SOLIDARISCHEN AUSLAND- SCHWEIZER:INNEN IM NATIONALRAT. Wir ergreifen Partei LISTE SP MÄNNER KANTON BERN Pascal Cuttat, Humanitärer Arbeiter, Nairobi (Kenya) Who will you vote for on 22 October 2023? Read our big election survey on page 17. Or visit www.revue.ch/en for the full-length version. Freedom. Solidarity. Responsibility. Everywhere. Center The
A marketing coup by Swiss big bank Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (SKA) kept everyone warm almost 50 years ago, when the forerunner of Credit Suisse gave away 800,000 ski hats. These blue, red and white knitted accessories were striking rather than aesthetically appealing. Made of acrylic and sometimes a little too tight for comfort, they were an iconic piece of branding. Everyone wanted one. It gave SKA a clearer public profile. These hats, originally freebies, currently fetch prices of up to 200 Swiss francs each at online auctions. In March, the going rate was 280 times the value of one Credit Suisse share. With the downfall of CS complete, the hat is now a sought-after retro relic. This is after the Swiss government forced big bank UBS to take over its ailing competitor practically overnight. Berne and the Swiss National Bank pledged billions of francs to backstop the takeover. The shock waves from this deal will continue to reverberate for a while yet. Switzerland has also learned over the years that one banking crisis leads to another. As economic historian Tobias Straumann says drily in his interview with “Swiss Review”: even UBS, now the only big bank left in Switzerland, will probably need the state (taxpayer) to bail it out sooner or later (see page 4). Long gone are the days when a bank was that friendly branch around the corner that gave your children their first piggy bank, supported business ventures and helped you to realise dreams, and then guaranteed you financial security on retirement. The excesses of today’s global banking juggernauts leave us disconnected and bewildered. The bosses at Credit Suisse epitomised this, taking millions in bonuses even in loss-making years. There was little sympathy for the bank when the end finally came. Switzerland will elect a new parliament on 22 October. Whether voters want greater regulation of the banking sector remains to be seen. In any event, these elections will shape the way in which this and many other areas develop. In this edition, we grill the country’s six biggest political parties on a range of issues. Their answers will provide food for thought for the roughly 220,000 people in the “Fifth Switzerland” who are already on the electoral register. Our printed magazine contains a selection of these Q&As – while the complete survey is available at www.revue.ch. MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 6 Focus An economic historian assesses the spectacular demise of Credit Suisse 8 News The hat no longer fits – Alain Berset is stepping down from government The latest e-voting system has passed its dress rehearsal 10 Politics Voters endorse a gradual withdrawal from fossil fuels 20 Culture How does a museum dispose of its artefacts? Langnau has a unique answer 14 Report Cardada-Cimetta – Switzerland’s sunniest spot is a centre of solar research 17 The 2023 elections Our big survey of Switzerland’s six main political parties 20 Switzerland in figures 26 Politics Pierre Maudet braves the scandals to be re-elected in Geneva 30 Literature Memories of Anne-Lise Grobéty 31 Notes from the Federal Palace The number of Swiss Abroad has risen to over 800,000 34 SwissCommunity news Cybercrime – hackers steal “Swiss Review” address data 38 Discussion Ski hats and Credit Suisse shares Cover: The iconic SKA ski hat of the 1970s. Photo: Silas Zindel, www.silaszindel.com “Swiss Review”, the information magazine for the “Fifth Switzerland”, is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad. Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 3 Editorial Contents
INTERVIEW: SUSANNE WENGER Swiss Review: Tobias Straumann, does the loss of Credit Suisse with its long history mark a tipping or turning point for Switzerland? Tobias Straumann: Well, it is certainly a milestone. Credit Suisse (CS) was Switzerland’s oldest big bank still in existence. But its demise is not a huge turning point as such. Big banks were “Berne will probably still need to keep the new banking colossus on an even keel.” The end came for banking stalwart Credit Suisse 167 years after its founding, when the government forced UBS to take over its ailing competitor. Economic historian Tobias Straumann on Switzerland and its big banks, on wishful thinking in Berne – and on the question of whether our small country still needs an international banking giant at all. 1856 1934 1977 Bank for the railways The liberal politician and businessman Alfred Escher (photo) founds Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (SKA) in Zurich with the help of his peers. SKA, the forerunner of Credit Suisse, quickly becomes Switzerland’s biggest merchant bank and helps to fund the expansion of the Swiss national railway. Ski hats for the people To boost its image, SKA gives away 800,000 branded woolly hats to the public. These beanies remain a common sight on the ski slopes well into the 1990s, later becoming a cult item. The merch becomes popular again after the demise of Credit Suisse, worth a lot more than the CS share price. Banking secrecy enshrined in law Parliament approves legislation ensuring banking secrecy for bank clients in Switzerland. This is a contentious issue at home and abroad, but Berne fiercely defends banking secrecy for a long time. Amid growing international pressure over tax evasion, Switzerland begins to phase out banking secrecy for foreign clients in 2009. already failing back in the 1990s. Switzerland had five big banks around 30 years ago. Now there is one. The 2008 global financial crisis and ensuing government bailout of Switzerland’s biggest bank UBS were of much greater significance. So was the end of banking secrecy for foreign clients. From rescuing UBS to forcing it to acquire CS, the state has had to bail out Swiss big banks twice in the last 15 years – in a country that prides itself on its free-market principles. How does that make sense? Switzerland is not as market oriented as you may think. This country has many state-owned or pseudo stateowned enterprises. You have the cantonal banks for a start – these are also public-sector entities. Moreover, in my view government bailouts of big banks Photo: ETH-Bibliothek, Bildarchiv 4 Focus
Who or what was primarily responsible for the collapse of CS? The management and the Board of Directors. CS had been poorly run for years. But the authorities must also take a good look at themselves. They had known since October 2022 that the bank was in difficulty, yet it still took a long time in March to put together a rescue plan. It all seemed a bit off the cuff, unlike the bailout of UBS. This surprised me. We still don’t know enough to pass verdict. A parliamentary inquiry committee has been set up to look into the takeover. However, the bank itself still has a part to play. It should be proactive in producing a But after the UBS bailout, parliament’s too-big-to-fail law was meant to prevent the government and taxpayers from having to take so much financial risk again. Is the fall of Credit Suisse a rude awakening for lawmakers? As a historian, I am not too surprised about what happened. In a crisis, you need the mechanisms to be very simple. Not only was the too-big-to-fail law too complicated, it was also untested and a little naive. You have to remember that foreign authorities are always involved and have their own responses. It can take a while before they all agree. What can Berne still do, if anything, in the face of the global financial markets? I would say that Berne can – and must – still do a lot to keep the banking sector on an even keel. It did a good job with UBS in 2008. The bank was partially nationalised for a time, while the federal government even ended up earning something from the deal. UBS also overhauled its risk culture. In the case of Credit Suisse, Berne believed a merger was the safer option. Time till tell whether it was the right one. 1991 1997 2008 Collapse of a regional bank Regional bank, the Spar- und Leihkasse Thun (canton of Berne), goes into liquidation following the bursting of the property bubble. News of Switzerland’s first-ever bank run goes around the world. Over 220 million Swiss francs worth of private and corporate assets are lost. Merger to create UBS Two of Switzerland’s banking giants, Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation, merge to create the country’s biggest bank UBS. The new company expands more into international finance, an area in which it wants to become a world leader. State bailout of UBS Following the collapse of US bank Lehman Brothers, UBS comes unstuck in the ensuing financial crisis. The federal government and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) hand the big bank a 60-billion-franc lifeline. The bailout succeeds without taxpayers taking a hit. are no longer as shocking as they used to be. Since the 1990s, the vulnerabilities of the highly globalised and liberalised banking system have been in evidence all over the world. Repeated state intervention has become the norm. Indeed, there is no other option, because the alternative would be global financial meltdown. Other countries do not want Switzerland to be a source of contagion for the entire banking system. Tobias Straumann, 57, is Professor of Modern History and Economic History at the University of Zurich. His research focuses on financial and monetary history, among other things. Straumann is particularly interested in the interplay between economic crises, institutions, and politics. “We overstate the economic importance of the financial centre.” Photos: Keystone Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4
nesses. However, Swiss-managed companies have always had an extremely hard time of it in London and New York, where investment bankers have a completely different mindset. The approach in these English-speaking financial centres sits uncomfortably with Swiss business culture. Furthermore, the Swiss big banks often employed second-rate staff in London and New York, who behaved like mercenaries and were only out to make as much money as they could as quickly as possible. UBS took over CS in June and is now a huge bank. Will this story end well? Just to give some perspective: the new UBS is smaller than the UBS before the financial crisis – and will probably shrink a bit more. But it is still very big of course, with a balance sheet twice the size of Switzerland’s GDP. Will the story end well? I don’t know. However, it is highly likely that this new banking giant will also find itself in a predicament and need the government to step in. It is already clear that greater regulation will not solve the problem. Politicians are nevertheless calling for greater regulation of systemically relevant banks. Banks having more of a buffer, i.e. a greater share of equity, would make comprehensive report on what went wrong at CS. It owes Switzerland that much. Despite losses and scandals, CS paid exorbitant salaries and bonuses. Some bankers only seem to be driven by greed and are ready to risk everything in their pursuit of money. What happened to the entrepreneurial bank of yesteryear that helped to develop the country’s economy? CS kept supporting business until the very end, doing a very good job with its corporate lending. It is true that founding father Alfred Escher and his peers invested in infrastructure in the 19th century, but the railways were also a risky business. The early years at Schweizerische Kreditanstalt were turbulent, with railway stock prices going up and down. Bankers earned handsomely when things went well, but their bonuses vanished into thin air when stocks plummeted. That is the difference from today. CS did make mistakes because of greed, but the bank’s demise was mainly down to the incompetence of the Board of Directors and management. Why this incompetence? From the 1990s onwards, the Swiss big banks turned into international busi2010 2011 2021 Excessive bonuses at CS CS CEO Brady Dougan (photo) receives a record bonus of almost 71 million francs in addition to his annual salary of around 19 million francs. The excessive bonuses at CS continue to attract criticism in Switzerland over the following years, but the bank’s shareholders keep approving them. CS loses billions Risky investments in finance company Greensill and the hedge fund Archegos result in losses running into the billions for Credit Suisse. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) opens proceedings over Greensill and imposes remedial measures on CS. Too-big-to-fail law Parliament approves a bill from Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (photo) to impose greater regulation on systemically relevant banks, including UBS and CS. Such banks are “too big to fail”, because their failure would damage the economy. Capital requirements are increased, and a bank resolution framework is put in place. 6 Focus
sense, I think. But it still wouldn’t make UBS secure, we need to realise that. The global financial system is very fragile. CS was struggling, but not so badly off either. It was meeting all the financial regulator’s requirements. But all it takes is something to happen, and the contagion begins. Governments can neither predict nor prevent financial crises. All they can do is mitigate them in time and prevent a catastrophic outcome. But it is hard to know when best to intervene. Can a small country like Switzerland still afford to have a major global bank, given the risk? There are advantages to having a big bank on your doorstep offering the full range of services. These advantages would be lost if UBS had to spin off its problematic international operations at the behest of lawmakers, or if it moved its headquarters elsewhere. But you would have more stability. Foreign subsidiaries would take care of certain ar- “It is already clear that greater regulation will not solve the problem.” How important was being an international financial hub for Swiss prosperity? We overstate the economic importance. The First World War turned Switzerland into an international financial centre, although in 1914, just before the outbreak of hostilities, we were already the richest country on the European continent based on per capita GDP. Industrial activity was the primary driver of that. Industry was highly dynamic and has underpinned Swiss prosperity from the 19th and 20th centuries to the present day. Switzerland only became a financial hub as a result of industrialisation, with wealth management providing a completely new, rich source of income. This has always had its pros and cons from an economic perspective. What were the drawbacks? High wages in the banking sector attracted many highly qualified workers, who were then missed in other, more innovative industries. With the banking sector now being less of a draw, there is more scope for other industries and innovations to thrive again. Zurich is also a very successful insurance hub – a more predictable and stable line of business that suits the Swiss mentality much better, I feel. March 2023 April 2023 June 2023 Emergency takeover by UBS The crisis at CS comes to a head. Clients withdraw their assets. On the evening of Sunday 19 March, Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter announces UBS’s takeover of CS in the presence of the two bank bosses. The federal government pledges 109 billion francs to backstop the emergency sale. The Swiss Sergio Ermotti becomes UBS’s new CEO. Initial snub in parliament In an extraordinary session, the National Council rejects the CS rescue deal. But its decision is largely symbolic. The Council of States votes in favour. The debate reignites on whether lawmakers should do more to keep banks in check. The National Council adopts motions to ban executive bonuses and introduce higher equity ratio requirements. Inquiry into the collapse of CS The National Council and Council of States set up a Parliamentary Investigation Committee (PInC), their most powerful control body. Led by the Centre Party Council of States member Isabelle Chassot (photo), the PInC will this autumn investigate the actions of the Federal Council, the SNB, and FINMA before and during the CS takeover. eas of business – in much the same way that the airline Swiss covers a specific area of the market for its German parent carrier Lufthansa. It would work. The end of banking secrecy did us no harm either, did it? Is Zurich any poorer than it was before? Quite the opposite. Photos Keystone 7
Zelensky addresses Swiss parliament On 15 June 2023, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was allowed to address the Swiss parliament via direct video link. In his short speech, Zelensky asked Switzerland to hold a peace conference. In the days leading up to Zelensky’s address, pro-Russian hackers unleashed massive cyberattacks on Switzerland’s IT infrastructure. The hackers targeted the websites and applications of the Federal Administration and Swiss parliament as well as the official websites of numerous Swiss cities. Just before these attacks, hackers stole information belonging to the Federal Office of Police, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security, various cantonal police forces, and the state-owned arms manufacturer RUAG. (MUL) Swiss negotiator with the European Union is stepping down Livia Leu, Switzerland’s chief negotiator with the European Union (EU), is stepping down at her own request to become Swiss ambassador to Germany this autumn. Leu’s departure after less than three years in office comes at a delicate moment, because exploratory talks between Switzerland and the EU on a new agreement have entered an important phase. Leu is reputed to be a tenacious diplomat who knows her brief. However, her dealings with Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have been strained of late. The job of chief negotiator has changed hands numerous times. Roberto Balzaretti, Pascale Baeriswyl, Jacques de Watteville and Yves Rossier have preceded Leu in the post over just the last ten years. (MUL) Thomas Zurbuchen joins ETH Zurich Swiss Thomas Zurbuchen, 55, the former head of research at NASA, the US space agency, has returned to Switzerland to work for ETH Zurich. From August 2023, he will head the ETH Zurich Space initiative as Professor of Space Science and Technology. Considered one of the world’s most influential scientific researchers, Zurbuchen had a decisive influence on space science at NASA. According to the ETH Zurich President Joël Mesot, Zurbuchen “decided to join ETH Zurich despite numerous offers from top universities around the world”. (MUL) 100 million from Russia for UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein has received a donation of 100 million Swiss francs – from dissident Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. Muratov’s independent Russian newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” has had to suspend its activities amid pressure from the Russian authorities. In 2022, Muratov decided to sell his golden Nobel Prize medal at an auction in New York. He has now donated the entire proceeds to UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein, an organisation providing emergency relief in Ukraine. (MUL) Additional news is available in our online edition at www.revue.ch. Alain Berset It was a photo that raised eyebrows: Federal Councillor Alain Berset sitting on the edge of a New York sidewalk in a blue suit, nonchalantly studying his notes. The picture, taken in 2018 during the UN General Assembly, epitomises the confident, purposeful image that the Fribourg social democrat likes to project as one of the more unconventional members of the federal government. Berset, just 51, has announced his surprise resignation from the Federal Council. He will not be running for another term after this autumn’s federal elections. In his 12 years as interior minister, Berset had to deal with difficult issues like pension provision and rising healthcare costs – areas in which he made little progress. An avowed bon vivant, he rode a tidal wave of popularity for his leadership during the Covid crisis. Berset has also been a little less than statesmanlike at times. He flew a light aircraft into French airspace without permission. He had an extramarital fling which led to a blackmail attempt against him. The interior minister was able to come through these incidents without his popularity taking a hit. More serious are allegations that Berset’s communications chief leaked confidential information to the boss of Ringier media group during the Covid crisis, as this potentially compromised public trust in the Federal Council. Stepping down from government is now another bombshell. With Berset’s government seat up for grabs in December, the Federal Council “magic formula” (2 SVP, 2 FDP, 2 SP, 1 Centre) could change if the October elections lead to a shift in the parliamentary balance of power. JÜRG STEINER Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 8 Top pick News
9 EVELINE RUTZ The “Fifth Switzerland” wants to vote online. This is attested to by the first trial run of the new e-voting system. On 18 June 2023, Swiss Abroad were able to vote digitally across three cantons. After grinding to a halt almost four years ago, e-voting was up and running – and very popular – again. “People are delighted to be using the digital voting channel again,” says Barbara Schüpbach-Guggenbühl, chancellor of the canton of Basel-Stadt. Around 53 per cent of the expatriate electorate taking part in the Basel-Stadt cantonal votes used e-voting. The proportion was 54 per cent in St Gallen and 56 per cent in Thurgau. Initial reaction is positive Everyone concerned is happy with how things went. Voters navigated the system well, according to Benedikt van Spyk, chancellor of the canton of St Gallen. “We hardly received any support queries,” he says, adding that feedback from Swiss Abroad was positive. It was the same story in Thurgau. “We are very satisfied with how e-voting went,” says Thurgau Chancellor Paul Roth. The three cantons, the Federal Chancellery, and Swiss Post, which developed the new system, will analyse the trial run in detail and make adjustments where necessary. For example, Benedikt van Spyk has indicated that the login procedure will be simplified: “The login in its current form is a relatively big hurdle.” No hacker attacks, no attempted fraud The new system made a “successful debut”, according to Swiss Post, which monitored the pilots and assisted cantonal officials on site. No irregularities were recorded, says Michael Egger, who coordinates e-voting The new e-voting trials have gone well Basel-Stadt, St Gallen and Thurgau piloted a new e-voting system on 18 June 2023. All three cantons were satisfied with the results. Swiss Abroad in particular took advantage of these digital trials. at Swiss Post. “All votes submitted electronically were valid. Ballot secrecy was maintained at all times, and the results were counted correctly.” There were no hacker attacks of the type that have affected a number of Swiss companies, the Federal Chancellery and other authorities since the beginning of June. “IT security is never static but an ongoing process,” Egger points out. The pilots “went well”, and he is “confident” that e-voting will also be used in the federal elections this autumn. This is pending a decision by the cantons. Basel-Stadt, St Gallen and Thurgau want to continue offering e-voting and have received an initial licence from the Federal Council.to do so until May 2025. They have requested a separate licence for the National Council elections of 22 October 2023; the authorisation process is currently ongoing. No other cantons will be offering e-voting by October. It is too late to do so, says the Federal Chancellery – for logistical and other reasons. OSA: “Big success” According to the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), the 18 June trials were a “big success”, demonstrating that e-voting caters for a need within the “Fifth Switzerland”. E-voting was available to 25,494 Swiss Abroad in the three participating cantons. It was used by 3,616 expats. Some 85.3 per cent of all online votes came from outside Switzerland. Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Director Ariane Rustichelli: “The new e-voting system has passed the test.” Demo version of the e-voting system: demo.evoting.ch See page 35 for more on this topic Barbara Schüpbach- Guggenbühl at a media conference on the eve of the trials – the chancellor of the canton of Basel-Stadt is positive about the e-voting system’s performance. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 News
THEODORA PETER “Switzerland has set itself an ambitious target,” said Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP) after the vote. The energy and environment minister – who only joined the government in January – had campaigned for the parliament-approved Climate and Innovation Act against the will of his own party. Insisting that the switch from oil and gas endangers the security of Switzerland’s energy supplies, the SVP had initiated the 18 June referendum against what it called the “energy-guzzling act”. However, a majority of voters followed the yes recommendation of all the other parties, with 59.1 per cent endorsing the target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Among the Swiss Abroad approval of this target was as high as 76.8 per cent. Boost for renewable energy Under the Climate and Innovation Act, businesses, road users, and private households will be incentivised to help slash harmful greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades. Massive investment in zero-carbon technology will be needed. To this end, parliament has approved financial support – totalling 3.2 billion Swiss francs Switzerland aims to become carbon-neutral by 2050 A clear majority of the Swiss electorate, almost 60 per cent, voted in favour of the Climate and Innovation Act on 18 June 2023. The new legislation cements the gradual shift away from fossil fuels like oil and gas. But a new debate is brewing over zero-carbon alternatives. – for homeowners to replace climate-damaging oil and gas heating with heat pumps. Electric vehicles will replace petrol and diesel on the roads, while industrial and commercial businesses will have to transition to climatefriendly production practices. According to Rösti, Switzerland can only reach the netzero target by producing more of its own electricity. “We cannot simply rely on imports,” he said. Rösti hopes parliament will approve the Federal Act on a Secure Electricity Supply in September. This new bill aims to promote hydro, solar and wind. But political opinion is divided on the extent to which new dams, wind turbines, or solar plants should be allowed to affect wildlife and natural landscape. Depending on the outcome of the parliamentary debate, this matter could also end in a referendum. Calls for new nuclear power stations The centre-right and right-wing parties as well as industry groups are sceptical as to whether renewables can meet Switzerland’s electricity needs in future. There had already been calls as early as the day of the vote for new nuclear power plants to be built. According to the FDP and The Climate and Innovation Act lends additional impetus to new major solar and wind projects. Opinion is divided on the extent to which such projects should be allowed to affect wildlife and the natural landscape. In the photo: Europe’s highest wind park, overlooking Lake Gries (canton of Valais) near the Nufenen Pass. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 10 Politics
0 5 1015202530354045 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 76.9% SVP, it would be careless to dispense with “climate-friendly” energy from nuclear fission. However, the construction of new nuclear power stations has been banned under Swiss law since 2017, when the electorate accepted the revised Federal Energy Act (“Energy Strategy 2050”), which incorporated Switzerland’s withdrawal from nuclear energy production. Yet the speed of climate change and fears over electricity supplies could lead to a rethink – or at least delay the shift from nuclear. SVP Federal Councillor Rösti advocates keeping the country’s existing nuclear power plants online for as long as possible – “as long as safety is guaranteed”. But this would necessitate some costly retrofitting. It remains to be seen whether nuclear power plant operators would want to make such an investment. Energy group BKW took the Mühleberg nuclear plant offline in 2019, simply because running it was no longer economical. Nuclear is an issue likely to preoccupy the electorate again in a few years’ time. The centre-right and right-wing parties are collecting signatures for a popular initiative dubbed “Stop the blackout”, which aims to reverse the current ban on new nuclear power stations and make “all climate-friendly types” of electricity generation admissible under the constitution. Sceptical left-wing politicians have dismissed the initiative as “ideological cloud-cuckoo land”. There will be no power shortages in winter if we develop renewables as planned, says energy politician and SP National Councillor Roger Nordmann. In addition to hydro and wind, the left-green parties believe there is huge untapped potential in solar installations on buildings. Climate Alliance wants greater urgency The outcome of the 18 June vote is a triumph for the Climate Alliance. Buoyed by the yes result, this cross-party association now expects Switzerland to “raise its ambitions”. The climate activists want greater urgency, especially with regard to the proposed revision of the CO2 Act. The bill, which is currently being considered by parliament, is not enough for Switzerland to meet its climate goals on time, they say, adding that financial services must also play their part. Swiss banks should force “climate-destroying multinationals” to rethink and change. The Climate Alliance intends to drive home its message at a climate protest on the Bundesplatz in Berne on 30 September – three weeks before the federal election. Voters again followed the recommendations of the government and parliament (see diagram on the right), when two other proposals were put to the people on 18 June – the last day of popular votes in this election year. They approved the introduction of a global minimum tax for multinationals as well as a precautionary extension to the Covid-19 Act until the end of 2024. Yes to the Climate and Innovation Act A majority of 59.1 per cent voted in favour of the Federal Act on Climate Protection Targets, Innovation and Strengthening Energy Security, which aims to make Switzerland carbon- neutral by 2050. Yes to a global minimum tax A majority of 78.5 per cent backed the introduction of a global minimum tax on large multinational companies, which will see Switzerland implementing OECD/G20 recommendations. Yes to extending the Covid-19 Act A majority of 61.9 per cent approved extending the Covid-19 Act on a precautionary basis until the end of 2024. This means that the Covid vaccine passport requirement can still be reactivated, if necessary, e.g. for travel to other countries. Swiss Abroad Percentage of Yes votes for the Climate and Innovation Act 0 5 1015202530354045 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 85.9% Swiss Abroad Percentage of Yes votes to a global minimum tax 0 5 1015202530354045 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 68.7% Swiss Abroad Percentage of Yes votes to extending the Covid-19 Act Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 11
How to declutter a museum? Carmen Simon, manager of the Chüechlihus in Langnau (canton of Berne), has enlisted the help of the public and turned this challenge into a very democratic process. Photos: Andreas Reber Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 12 Society
EVA HIRSCHI “People don’t like to talk about it,” says Carmen Simon, manager of the Chüechlihus Regional Museum in Langnau im Emmental (canton of Berne), “but there is nothing new about museums having to dispose of objects”. This should not really be a surprise, because no museum can continue collecting ad infinitum. Particularly at a regional museum like the Chüechlihus, where the vast majority of items have been donated, there may be more than one version of the same object. Or some artefacts may be damaged. And one day there will be no more space. Simon, 37, took over management of the museum in 2021. “Careful curating not only involves building your collections, but reducing them too,” she says. Museums must review their inventories on a regular basis and dispense with individual items where necessary. This is called deaccessioning. A novel idea The Chüechlihus in Langnau, one of Switzerland’s biggest regional museums, has a novel take on this process. In a project unique in Europe, if not the world, the local population can decide which items the museum should give away and what should happen to them. “We believe the people of the Emmental Valley should have a say in what happens to their cultural heritage,” says Simon. The municipal council agrees. “No museum needs 20 walking sticks and 12 spinning wheels in its collection,” says Martin Lehmann, the culture officer in Langnau. “The more we talked How to declutter a museum From hats, to shirt collars, to braces – locals in the Emmental Valley have been given the opportunity to decide which artefacts their regional museum should discard and what should happen to these items thereafter. This pioneering project has democratised a process common to every museum: deaccessioning, or the permanent removal of artefacts. about it, the more obvious that became.” In consultation with a dedicated committee, the museum initially got rid of over 2,000 textiles – from top hats, nightshirts and aprons, to shirt collars, folk costumes and scarves. In addition to museum, local authority and political representatives, five randomly chosen members of the public from Langnau sit on the committee. They include 36-year-old Jacqueline Maurer. “I immediately agreed to join,” she says. “It’s exciting to be part of this process.” The committee met to discuss which items were to be discarded. All citizens of Langnau – living inside or outside the municipality – were able to add their voices by voting online at www.entsammeln.ch. All the objects in question were photographed and displayed on the museum website. They are also displayed in the top floor of the museum and can be viewed by anyone – QR codes contain descriptions of each individual item. “The idea is that the local people become actively involved,” says Simon. “Unlike in other museums, they can even handle the objects if they wish. This further increases their sense of engagement.” Initial scepticism This democratic process has also attracted dissent. “Many in the museum community were initially sceptical,” says Simon, whose tactic to counteract any misgivings was full disclosure, with the entire process clearly documented on the museum website. According to the International Council of Museums guidelines, From antique furniture, to traditional textiles, to heirloom crockery – everything must go. Photos: Andreas Reber (left), Eva Hirschi (right) Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 13
GERHARD LOB Ticino is known as one of the sunniest spots in Switzerland. The sun does indeed shine very often in the country’s most southerly canton. Ticino often vies with Valais for the title of Switzerland’s sunniest canton. Sometimes the former comes out on top, sometimes the latter. But Ticino is the sunniest on average, according to MeteoSwiss meteorological records from 1990 to 2020. Ticino boasts five of the ten sunniest places in Switzerland. Cardada-Cimetta, the mountain overlooking Locarno, is in first place, with an average of 2,256 hours of sunshine each year. The Valais capital of Sion comes second, with 2,192 hours. It is, therefore, no coincidence that Cardada-Cimetta is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. The 1,670-metre summit, Cimetta, is easy to reach. You first take a cable car from Orselina (395 metres) to Carany object being disposed of must first be offered to another museum. But Simon believes that public museums are not the only place to keep artefacts. “We apply a broad interpretation of the guidelines,” she says. “However, we give priority to professional applications from other museums,” she quickly adds. Jacqueline Maurer has no issue with the project either: “The museum staff have only disposed of items that are already covered in the collection. In addition, the project helps to keep the museum in people’s minds.” This approach seems to be working. The public nature of the process has also helped to elicit new information, revia a thorough application process. Museums, organisations and individuals – including those outside the Emmental region or even abroad – can apply to obtain a specific item. There are no conditions attached to future use, regardless of the intended purpose – upcycling, art, interior decoration, or whatever. Next come the decisions on who gets what: the committee meets again in mid-August, taking account of the online public votes in each case. The entire process is time-consuming, taking about a half a year in total. But Simon thinks this is justified: “After all, these objects have been entrusted to us. As museum curator, I have a duty of care.” Initial scepticism among the public seems to have evaporated, while interest across the wider museum community has also grown. They are even getting inquiries from abroad from people who want to know how the project works. Carmen Simon is delighted. This is already the second round of deaccessioning – the museum conducted its first round last year, albeit for only about a hundred items. Another round is planned for 2024. According to a Chüechlihus survey of those who voted online, many in the local population now feel a greater attachment to the museum. “Bringing the museum to our community is exactly what we want to do,” says Simon. “What matters is that we establish a connection. It is not about objects, but people.” Langnau native Jacqueline Maurer agrees: “I had forgotten that this region has so many intriguing things to offer. We should be proud to live here.” Because the aim of the project is not simply to free up space – but win hearts and minds. Carmen Simon: “The people of the Emmental Valley should have a say in what happens to their cultural heritage.” Photo: Eva Hirschi sulting in the museum changing its mind and keeping certain artefacts after all. Simon: “We have enough specialist expertise to know what specific items were for, but we don’t always know whom the things belonged to.” Take the work garment that was returned to the collection. “We thought it was just a tatty coat, but we have now discovered that it belonged to a radio mechanic whom everyone knew in the village.” The committee decided to keep the garment. Duty of care The bequeathing phase finally took place this summer. This involved working out what exactly will happen to each and every object. Not through an auction or an online shopping platform (no money changed hands), but For more photos of deaccessioned artefacts in Langnau, visit: revue.link/langnau. Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 14 Society Report
dada (1,340 metres) – a mountain settlement with its own little church and two restaurants, a place where many Locarno locals own a second home. Star architect Mario Botta modernised the Orselina-Cardada line in 2000, redesigning the top and bottom stations. The cable cars have had automatic doors since then. Up in Cardada, the air is fresh. When you alight there in summer, it is a blessed relief from the hot, humid conditions in Locarno. You then cover the 300-metre difference in altitude between Cardada and Cimetta in a sideways chair lift dating back to the 1950s. It is the last lift of its kind in Switzerland. The panorama is breathtaking. From the mountaintop station, it’s just a few more metres’ walk up the hill to the Cimetta viewing platform. From there, you can enjoy an incredible panoramic view encompassing Switzerland’s lowest point down below, Lake Maggiore, and its highest point, the Dufourspitze, in the Valais Alps further away. A geological fault called the Periadriatic Seam runs right under this point from east to west. To oversimplify (or exaggerate), you could say that this is the border between northern and southern Higher, farther, faster, more beautiful? In search of somewhat unconventional Swiss records This edition: Cardada-Cimetta – the sunniest spot in Switzerland Ticino – or the boundary between the continental tectonic plates of Europe and Africa. A red line on the platform marks the spot. Impossible to ignore, a number of MeteoSwiss measuring devices are situated directly below this viewing point. These measure the sunshine duration, explains MeteoSwiss meteorologist Nicola Gobbi, who works at the Locarno-Monti weather station. On the roof of the MeteoSwiss offices sit an SPN1, the cutting-edge precision instrument now used to record sunshine duration, and a Solar 111 B, an older measuring device manufactured by Hänni (and still used up at Cimetta). On the Solar 111 B, solar cells are shaded successively at short intervals by a set of quickly rotating blades. All periods during which a minimum difference is exceeded between uninterrupted radiation and the value when shading occurs are defined as periods of sunshine. © Swisstopo Cardada-Cimetta, the mountain overlooking Locarno, receives an average of 2,256 hours of sunshine each year. It was formed as a result of a collision between the European and African continental plates. Photo: Gerhard Lob The sunny mountain No other place in Switzerland receives more hours of sunshine than Cardada- Cimetta above Locarno. This lofty location is a centre of solar research. Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 15
Switzerland has around 260 automatic monitoring stations like the one at Locarno-Monti. This groundbased network goes by the name of SwissMetNet. The MeteoSwiss base in Locarno is a scientific hub that produces statistics and evaluates weather data. Situated in its garden, the Specola Solare Ticinese is a solar observatory that was built in the International Geophysical Year of 1957. The Specola Solare Ticinese is dedicated to counting the relative sunspot number (or “Wolf number”). Until 1980, it was an external observing station of the former Eidgenössische Sternwarte (federal observatory) at ETH Zurich. It has been privately operated since then, providing data to the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the institution responsible for publishing the relative sunspot number. Fun fact: sunspot maps are still drawn by hand. Another solar research institute, the Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno (IRSOL), is situated a little further up the mountain, slightly hidden amid the verdant greenery. IRSOL is devoted to solar physics. The German university of Göttingen founded IRSOL in 1960 and managed it until 1984. It had scouted out various locations in Europe but eventually settled on Locarno as the most suitable place, due to its position and its abundant hours of sunshine. There were partnerships with a number of universities in the 1990s, including ETH Zurich in particular. IRSOL is now affiliated to the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) in Lugano. Michele Bianda worked as managing director at IRSOL for many years but is now retired. “We have a special device at our disposal, called ZIMPOL. It is a high-precision solar polarimeter,” he says. Good for science, bad for skiing Science and research evidently play a key role on the Cardada-Cimetta mountain. However, climate change means there are drawbacks to having so much sun. Cardada-Cimetta was a ski resort for a long time. Gliding down freshly prepared pistes above Lake Maggiore used to be a magical experience. In point of fact, there was a ski lift that predated the cable car. Snow at intermediate altitudes has become less frequent, which is why Michele Bianda of the IRSOL solar research institute. Photo: Gerhard Lob the decision was taken in 2019 to close the ski lifts. Nearly all of these lifts have since been dismantled, not least because they are too expensive to maintain for the rare times they are used. Cimetta is now geared to summer activities instead. In winter, some people still come to go walking, snowshoe hiking, or ski touring when it does actually snow. Sunshine is good for body and soul. But the sun astonishingly plays only a minor role lin helping to advertise Cardada-Cimetta as a resort, even though it is depicted in the tourist logo. The mountain is being pushed as a recreation and hiking area for the whole family. It was a different story during the pioneering days of tourism in Ticino at the end of the 19th century, when the Gotthard railway opened. Some official posters back then compared sunshine hours in Locarno and Lugano with those in London and Hamburg. The cliché of Ticino as Switzerland’s sunniest place is now just that – a cliché. From ski resort to hiking destination – nearly all the ski lifts at Cardada-Cimetta have been dismantled. Photo: ascona-locarno.com Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 Report 16
What should Switzerland’s direction be over the next four years? Welcome to our big 2023 election survey. THEODORA PETER UND MARC LETTAU In around two months’ time, on 22 October 2023, Switzerland’s voters will choose a new parliament. The 246 newly elected National Council and Council of States members will then shape the country’s political course over the next four years. In December, parliament will appoint the seven-member federal government, the Federal Council, for a new term. According to an unwritten rule, referred to as the “magic formula”, the three biggest political parties are entitled to two Federal Council seats each, and the fourth-strongest party to one seat. This arrangement could change based on how the current parties in government (the SVP, SP, FDP, and Centre) perform in the parliamentary elections. With Alain Berset (SP) announcing that he will step down from the government at the end of the year (see page 8), there is already one vacant seat up for grabs. The six remaining members of the Federal Council intend to stand for election again. Parliament plays a key role The Federal Council and parliament pass legislation and set the course for making decisions that affect our everyday lives and shape the outlook of future generations. In direct democracy, voters can influence the country’s political course through referendums and initiatives. Nevertheless, the composition of parliament plays a key role in determining the overall orientation. Over the next few years, Switzerland faces significant political challenges both domestically and abroad. What is the country’s position on Europe? Must we redefine Swiss neutrality in view of Russia’s war of aggression? How do we meet our climate goals? How will Switzerland meet its future energy needs? How do we secure the longterm funding of pension provision? Six parties in the spotlight “Swiss Review” grilled Switzerland’s six biggest political parties ahead of the elections. We wanted to know the positions of the SVP, SP, FDP, Centre, Greens, and Green Liberals in three key areas: environment and energy; neutrality and foreign policy; and society and domestic policy. We also focused on the “Fifth Switzerland” in our survey. What do you think about the Swiss Abroad exercising their political rights? Should Switzerland go ahead with e-voting? And the key question: why should Swiss citizens living abroad vote for your party? On pages 18 to 23, you can now read the answers that the political parties gave to these and other fundamental questions. Further questions and answers are available online – in addition to a comprehensive dossier containing every “Swiss Review” article on the 2023 elections to date. Finally, page 24 contains the names of the candidates from the “Fifth Switzerland” who are standing for a seat in the National Council. It also includes an explanation as to why it is particularly hard for these candidates to get elected to parliament. Further information How the main political parties approach the “Fifth Switzerland”: revue.link/parties Online guidance for voters ahead of the federal elections: revue.link/aides Election dossier of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad: www.elections-2023.ch 17 Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 Politics
Swiss People’s Party (SVP) Right-wing national-conservative party; strongest party since 2003. 2019 election: 25.6%. Current political weight: 53 seats in National Council, 7 seats in Council of States, 2 seats in Federal Council. www.svp.ch Swiss Social Democratic Party (SP) The only left-wing party in government; roots go back to labour movement. 2019 election: 16.8%. Current political weight: 39 seats in National Council, 7 seats in Council of States, 2 seats in Federal Council. www.sp-ps.ch FDP – The Liberals Merged with the Liberal Party in 2009 to establish FDP.The Liberals. 2019 election: 15.1%. Current political weight: 29 seats in National Council, 12 seats in Council of States, 2 seats in Federal Council. www.fdp.ch Approved by voters on 18 June 2023, the Climate and Innovation Act points the way towards making Switzerland carbon-neutral by 2050. Do we need further climate action? No. There is no need for government intervention in a free-market economy. We need to intensify energy research instead. To ensure safe electricity production, we also need new fourth-generation nuclear power plants as well as a system for recycling spent fuel rods. Yes. To meet our climate goals, we must expedite our energy transition towards renewables. We must improve energy efficiency, speed up the modernisation of buildings, enhance public transport, regulate and hold the financial sector to account, and reduce energy consumption to a reasonable level. Yes. Provided we implement liberal policies to meet our climate goals. This includes agreeing on targets and carbon trading rules for the industrial sector as well as implementing measures related to buildings and mobility. We should look for technology-neutral solutions in all areas. As approved by voters in 2017, Swiss law bans the construction of new nuclear power stations. Should we lift the ban? Yes. Because the catastrophic meltdown at the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima influenced the electorate’s decision to approve the ban. This disaster is irrelevant to Switzerland and the safety of our power plants. No. As part of the Paris Agreement, Switzerland and other countries are committed to limiting global warming to no more than 1.5°C. This means moving away from fossil fuels and nuclear power. Neither yes nor no. Apart from a massive expansion in renewable energy, Switzerland urgently needs new big power plants to ensure energy security with enough base-load capacity throughout the year, including winter. The expansion of solar power, wind power and hydropower is increasingly to the detriment of environmental protection. Is this a justifiable trade-off? Neither yes nor no. It depends on whether the expansion in renewables relates to existing infrastructure such as dams or installations on buildings that already have an environmental impact, or to new infrastructure with a highly detrimental impact on wildlife and the natural landscape. Yes. But the SP has already suggested specific ways in which to reconcile the rapid rollout of hydro, wind and solar with environmental concerns. It is possible to turbocharge the development of renewables while preventing irreversible biodiversity loss. Yes. We need a rapid expansion in power capacity. Both the public sector and electricity suppliers must drive the increase in renewables and take advantage of simplified approval procedures. Efforts by the left-green faction and environmental organisations to oppose this are counterproductive. The Swiss Evangelical People’s Party (EVP) (3 seats in National Council), the Partei der Arbeit Schweiz (PdAS) (1 seat), Solidarités (1 seat), the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU) (1 seat), and Lega (1 seat) were not included in the survey. One independent sits in the Council of States. 18 Swiss Review / August 2023 / No.4 Politics
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