The burden on Swiss farmers: they feel powerless – and are speaking out Nemo wins the Eurovision Song Contest – and fuels the gender debate in Switzerland Looking back: the “Swiss Review” 50 years ago Looking ahead: the big readership survey JULY 2024 The magazine for the Swiss Abroad
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Copy deadline! Everything’s ready for this edition. Almost everything: the deadline’s looming, but we still need a cover picture. It has to be something to do with farmers. Something about the emotional well-being of Swiss farmers, since they are the focus of this issue. They drove their big, imposing tractors through the streets during the spring in protest. You could tell they were hopping mad. So what shall we put on the cover? Angry Swiss tractor drivers at their admittedly very well-organised demonstrations? Or lush meadows and grazing cows? Or an agrarian theme: a tractor with a plough tracing a precise line through the field, with the Alpine mountain range as a backdrop? Or should we show farmers threatening to administer lethal injections? Perhaps the Alpine cattle drive with herds of cows adorned with flowers? Or an industrial pig-fattening farm? Our struggles to find the right picture are symptomatic. In Switzerland, we all see ourselves a little bit as farmers. We are also very familiar with the beautiful landscapes of picture postcard Switzerland. Some of us even have our own personal four-wheel-drive vehicles packed with horsepower, as though we had to be able to drop everything and drive out to the fields at any moment. At the same time, we no longer have a clear image of who Swiss farmers actually are. Or what exactly they do. They might be the public face of Switzerland, but there are no longer very many of them. Barely two per cent of Swiss people today live on a farm. Our Focus on page 4 investigates the current mood amongst farmers. We have made our decision: the “Review” cover will show a farm boy pushing determinedly to get a massive hay bale moving. On the one hand, it is a good illustration of the sheer hard work involved in farming. The picture also shows the extent to which the 98 percent of us who are not farmers romanticise the profession these days: we like to look at it that way, because it still reminds us a little of the way things once were. But today’s Swiss farmers no longer move their hay bales by hand. They drive powerful tractors. Through their fields. And sometimes, also – in protest – right through town. MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 4 Focus Swiss farmers feel powerless in spite of their strong lobby in parliament 9 News Controversy following the ECHR verdict: Climate Seniors are delighted, politicians are angry 11 Swiss Figures Runner Dominic Lobalu smashes a 40-year-old Swiss record 12 Culture Nemo wins the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland 14 Images The monastery village of Einsiedeln gripped by theatre fever – for a hundred years 18 Politics Voters resoundingly reject two proposals for Swiss healthcare policy 20 Housekeeping The big “Swiss Review” survey: tell us what you think. The “Swiss Review” is in celebratory mood: the magazine is 50! 25 Literature Robert de Traz created the legend of the Swiss Abroad 26 Report Campo (TI): a once-thriving spot has become a ghost town 33 From the Federal Palace The Swiss Guard exemplifies the relationship between the Vatican and Switzerland 35 Swiss Community News We, the farmers Cover photo: taken from the book “Landwirtschaft Schweiz”, 2014, published by AS-Verlag, by Zurich photographer Markus Bühler. “Swiss Review”, the information magazine for the “Fifth Switzerland”, is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad. Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 3 Editorial Contents Photo: Keystone
4 Powerful farming lobby, powerless farmers The farming lobby is one of the most influential pressure groups in parliament. Farmers in Switzerland are highly subsidised. And yet they have taken to the streets to attack Swiss farming policy. Why? Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 Focus
5 JÜRG STEINER The village of Lohnstorf is barely a half-hour drive from the Federal Palace in Berne, but its surroundings are distinctly rural. On a clear day, you can see the iconic Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains in the distance rising up majestically over a flat plain of neatly arranged arable fields. Lohnstorf is situated in the fertile Gürbe Valley, which is known throughout Switzerland for intensive cabbage farming, hence its nickname “Chabisland” (cabbage land). Urs Haslebacher stands on the balcony of his farmhouse, which lies on the edge of the valley overlooking Lohnstorf. The route up to his farm is steep and winding. Haslebacher and his family run a large pig farm. They have around 3,000 pigs and employ 15 people. He has purchased a second farm on the valley floor and also rents out apartments in various buildings that he owns. Haslebacher is also involved in local politics, representing the SVP. In 2023, he became the mayor of Thurnen, the municipality that encompasses Lohnstorf. Haslebacher radiates the energy of an entrepreneur who finds opportunity wherever he looks. And sees problems as a challenge. A new responsibility was added to his varied to-do list earlier this year – when he started organising a series of farmers’ protests. Money pressures Swiss farmers took to their tractors in their hundreds in February and March. On weekday evenings or at weekends, they would chug along to pre-arranged meeting points in fields, Haslebacher spent a lot of time on messaging apps coordinating protest rallies in his home patch, the canton of Berne. Unlike the demonstrations in France and Germany, none of the actions escalated in Switzerland. Time and again, Haslebacher reminded his colleagues that they should not block the traffic with their tractors. There are no protests at the moment, because farmers are out in their fields in summer. Caught in the middle Haslebacher is not one to moan. Neither is he hard up. And yet he knows from personal experience that there is a fundamental disconnect between economic reality and what society expects from its farmers. This explains why people like him have also decided to protest. He gives us an example. Over 20 years ago, the federal government wanted farmers like Haslebacher to prioritise the well-being of their pigs by building pens with outdoor space. They gave him money for this purpose. The idea was that supermarkets would pay him an extra Swiss franc per kilo for the pork. He made the investment in good faith. But because the outdoor rearing systems for pigs are associated with higher ammonia emissions, Haslebacher soon attracted criticism from environmentalists. And before he had paid off the investment, the additional franc per kilo had been whittled down to a few centimes. Consumers are often oblivious to these problems. “I am not blaming anyone,” says Haslebacher, “but how can we plan for the future if the people vote “If the people vote for green initiatives at the weekend but buy cheap imported meat during the week, we farmers are the ones who lose out.” Urs Haslebacher organised farmers’ protests. Photo: Keystone park in formation and vent their feelings. With consumers unable to wean themselves off cheap imports, farmers say that their income is being squeezed. And that they are drowning in regulation. They feel underappreciated. The Swiss Farmers’ Union (SFU) put this deep sense of frustration into words, quickly collecting 65,000 signatures in a petition to the Federal Council and retailers Coop, Migros, Aldi and Lidl. Farmers have a lot to worry about. There used to be 250,000 farms in Switzerland. Now there are 48,000. An average of ten farms are going out of business every week. Money pressures are real for Switzerland’s 150,000 or so remaining farmers. Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 Frustrated heavy labourers: farmers demonstrating during the spring of 2024 in a field in Uster (ZH). Photo: Keystone
Farmers account for a good two per cent of the working population, but about a sixth of all parliamentarians in Berne come from the agricultural sector, i.e. they are farmers themselves or they represent farmers. for green initiatives at the weekend but buy cheap imported meat during the week? We are the ones who lose out.” It is unacceptable for farms to be caught in the middle like this, he continues. And that is why farmers feel so strongly – that includes everyone in the disparate agricultural sector who pose left-wing popular initiatives that would force farmers to adopt greener practices. The next showdown is on Sunday 22 September 2024, when an initiative by conservationist groups and the Greens to promote biodiversity is put to voters. The SFU has called the proposal “extremist”. Orchestrated by Ritter, the farming lobby has already blocked the Federal Council’s counterproposal in parliament. Mountain of bureaucracy Yet farmers are under increasing pressure despite the SFU’s lobbying. It is hard to gain an overall picture, given that the problems facing the big agriculture of the Central Plateau are not the same as those affecting smallholdings in the Alps, for example. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that farmers work a lot for relatively little. According to surveys, they put in well over 50 hours a week on average while earning under 20 francs an hour. Running a farm can, therefore, feel precarious for many families – who maybe just about cope because they live rent-free on the farm that they have inherited, but are unable to generate enough money to invest. If the farmhouse needs renovating, it can spell the end for the business. tected or nurtured. Billions of francs go into farming. Two key figures stand out in particular. Every year, 2.8 billion francs in environmental subsidies are paid directly to farmers from the public tax coffers. Secondly, import duties worth more than 3 billion francs a year protect the Swiss agricultural sector from foreign competition. Protectionism is possible not least because the farming lobby has become an even greater force in national politics since the last elections in autumn 2023. This is quite the paradox given the continual decline in the number of farms. Farmers account for a good two per cent of the working population, but about a sixth of all parliamentarians in Berne come from the agricultural sector, i.e. they are farmers themselves or they represent farmers. The head of the SFU, National Councillor Markus Ritter (The Centre), is one of the most influential parliamentarians. He pulled off a strategic coup in 2022 when he struck an alliance with Switzerland’s main trade associations. This bolstered the SFU’s efforts to opwould normally otherwise agree to disagree: from big industrial farmers, to organic farmers, to Alpine farmers. Nevertheless, you could be forgiven for wondering why Swiss farmers have taken their shiny tractors onto the streets in the first place. Because Swiss farmers enjoy considerable influence at the centre of political power compared to farmers in other countries. Very considerable indeed. The farming lobby Although agriculture plays a marginal role in the Swiss economy, accounting for just 0.6 per cent of GDP, no other sector is as supported, proWhether on remote individual farms or industrial fattening farms, the average farmer works hard and earns little. Photos: Keystone Demanding con- sumers: are they also ready to pay fair prices? Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 6 Focus
farmers receive subsidies but then use the funds to buy things like seed, fertiliser, feed and equipment – from agricultural giant Fenaco, for example. Hence, Fenaco also benefits from the farming subsidy system in its supply role. The prices at which farmers sell to distributors or to supermarkets like Migros and Coop are, on the other hand, too low – and farms are forced to offset the shortfall with state funds earmarked for fulfilling environmental obligations. Some of the more critical members of the farming lobby have identified the problematic role played by agribusiness and the supermarkets. One of them is Kilian Baumann, National Councillor for the Green Party and head of the national association of smallholder farmers, who often takes a different view to that of the SFU. Baumann laments the low prices and mounting bureaucracy – but he also criticises “decades of misguided farming policy” for which the SFU bears some responsibility. The imperative – encouraged by the state – to produce more and to farm Farmers are losing more and more hours to paperwork – time they could have otherwise spent farming. Even the SFU, the political force behind the multi-billion bankrolling of the agricultural sector, concedes that the financial support has spawned a mountain of bureaucracy that urgently needs to be trimmed. The federal acts and ordinances on funding run up to several thousands of pages. Approval and monitoring take an enormous amount of time. At the mercy of suppliers and buyers The loss in efficiency is obvious, but government funding continues to increase as more and more farms go under. What is going wrong? And why is Switzerland unable to achieve its goal of getting domestic production to cover more than 50 per cent of the country’s food needs? Patrick Dümmler, an economist at the liberal think tank Avenir Suisse, makes the important point that farmers are too dependent on subsidies. Essentially, he believes that there is too much money in the system as opposed to not enough. According to Dümmler, farmers are unfortunately at the mercy of suppliers and buyers. He says that The Federal government is channelling more and more money through fewer and fewer farmers. In spite of this, their economic outlook is growing ever bleaker – and Switzerland’s self-sufficiency targets are not being met. bigger and more intensively is a failed doctrine, he writes, adding that intensive agriculture leads to nitrogen runoff into groundwater and drinking water, and harms biodiversity through its reliance on pesticides. According to Baumann, farmers cannot blame their problems on new green legislation. On the contrary, environmental standards are urgently needed. Food production is subject to market forces. The Swiss state is addressing the environmental question, while subsidies are funding measures to correct the “wrongs” of the market. These are the decidedly muddy waters in which Swiss farmers find themselves. And they feel powerless to do anything about it – despite the powerful farming lobby. “We will reassess in autumn,” says Haslebacher. If nothing improves, he and his colleagues will be back out on their tractors. The next protest could take them all the way to the Bundesplatz in Berne. Alongside farmers, subsidies also benefit fertiliser and feed manufacturers as well as retailers. Photos: Keystone Intensive farming is highly mechanised and is a failed doctrine, according to Green agricultural politicians. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 7
Ukraine conference in Switzerland concludes with an underwhelming outcome The Ukraine conference of 15 and 16 June 2024, in the Bürgenstock luxury resort high above Lake Lucerne, is considered the largest diplomatic event ever hosted in Switzerland. At Switzerland’s invitation, delegations from over 90 countries, including the heads of state of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Spain and the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, convened at the location. In the run-up to the conference, President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis sought, in their role of conference hosts, to manage expectations, changing the name of the event from “Peace Summit” to “Summit on Peace in Ukraine”. The closing declaration at least adopted a clear position by referring to “Russia’s war against Ukraine”, thus expressly naming Russia as the aggressor. The final document also demanded the observance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and the securing of the war-damaged Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It further stated that attacks on Ukrainian wheat exports are not acceptable, as food security “must not be weaponised in any way”. President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd concluded: “We have achieved what could be achieved.” In the immediate aftermath, political commentators claimed Switzerland suffered something of a setback as a host and diplomatic actor, as not all delegations were prepared to sign the final document. Twelve of the participating countries withheld their signature. Notable non-signatories included India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Some of these countries may be able to assume the role of intermediary, given their intact ties to Russia. In fact, there was speculation just before the meeting that Saudi Arabia might host a follow-up conference – and include Russia. The closing declarations and the official final Bürgenstock document, however, did not include any reference to this. (MUL) The final document from the Bürgenstock conference (available only in English): www.revue.link/summit Switzerland increases its defence expenditure Mindful of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the Federal Council decided in favour of increasing the budget of the armed forces. In February, it presented a package totalling in excess of 30 billion francs for the next four years. In June, the Council of States declared its intention to increase the budget more quickly and by more, to the tune of about four billion francs. In addition, it wants to commit more funds to expedite the purchase of air defence systems. A majority of the Council of States wants a large part of the extra expenditure to come from cuts in development aid. However, nothing has been decided as yet, as the matter still has to be submitted to the National Council. (MUL) Mustafa Atici He is the first cantonal councillor with a migration background in the canton of Basel-Stadt. Born in Türkiye in 1969, Mustafa Atici came to Switzerland as a 23-year-old student. The Turkish Kurd found a new home in Basel, started a family and set up as a culinary entrepreneur after completing his business studies. His kebab shops are known throughout the city, including at the St. Jakob football stadium, where the staunch FC Basel fan can be found on match days. Atici joined the Swiss Social Democratic Party (SP) in 2001 and entered the cantonal parliament three years later, where he remained a member for almost 14 years. In 2019, he transferred to the National Council but he was not re-elected in 2023. This spring saw Atici gain a government mandate in his home canton. Atici referred to his election as “a success for diversity”. “People shouldn’t see a Mustafa in Basel as being somehow different anymore.” There is admittedly a particularly high number of people with a migration background in the city canton. Atici was never in any doubt about becoming naturalised. He encourages others to do the same: “We live here, we work here, we can play our part.” As director of education, he wants to do still more for integration. As a member of parliament, he also worked hard to ensure the children of migrants learned the national language before starting school. Atici speaks High German with an audible accent. He responds to criticism of his level of German with equanimity. He is more concerned with the hostility about his background that he encountered during the election. It was the first time he had encountered so much hate during 20 years in politics, he said when interviewed. It affected him, as he feels patriotic about his country: “I love Basel and Switzerland.” THEODORA PETER Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 8 Top pick News
CHRISTOF FORSTER A group of older Swiss women triumphed in Strasbourg at the beginning of April when their landmark climate case was largely upheld by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). “It is the biggest victory possible for us. We still can’t really believe it,” Rosmarie Wydler-Wälti told Swiss public television (SRF) immediately after the verdict. The group of ‘climate seniors’, or Senior Women for Climate Protection (Klimaseniorinnen), received moral and financial support from Greenpeace during the proceedings. The judges in Strasbourg ruled that Switzerland had violated the women’s human rights by not doing enough to combat global warming. This relates specifically to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which guarantees “the right to respect for private and family life”. The court expanded on Article 8 in reference to climate change, saying that states must take appropriate steps to prevent global temperatures from Triumphant ‘climate seniors’ cause a stir A group of older Swiss women have won their climate case at the European Court of Human Rights. Not everyone in Switzerland is happy with the verdict. The ruling will encourage environmental groups across Europe to bring similar actions against their own governments. reaching levels that would do serious and irreparable harm to human rights. The court found that there had been “critical gaps” in the process of putting in place the relevant domestic regulatory framework, and that the Swiss authorities had failed to quantify national limits on greenhouse gas emissions. The judges also stated that Switzerland had failed to meet its past CO2 reduction targets. European precedent The verdict sets a European precedent as it is the first time an international court has tied human rights directly to climate change. The 46 states of the Council of Europe could now be required by their citizens to rethink climate policy and, where necessary, ramp up climate action to protect human rights. The judges made no specific reference to what steps Switzerland should take, saying that it was not their reAccording to Rosmarie Wydler- Wälti, photographed here with Greta Thunberg, the ECtHR ruling is the “biggest victory possible”. But the verdict has caused a stir in Berne. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 9 News
greenhouse emissions to zero, this would not have curbed the global rise in temperatures – because the amount that Switzerland contributes to global carbon emissions is a relative drop in the ocean. Critics fear the ruling will lead to human rights being trivialised and politicised. Applying legally binding human rights protections to controversial issues such as climate change also means using these protections as a political tool, they say. Others think differently. According to Markus Schefer, an expert in constitutional law at the University of Basel, the ruling is a “logical continuation” of existing provisions. Schefer told the “NZZ am Sonntag” that applying a broad wording in relation to fundamental rights had future-proofed the ECHR, and that courts have an important duty to take new threats and risks into account. However, the ruling could also undermine climate action. There is a danger that some voters could reject future climate initiatives not because of the issues at stake, but because they want to send a message to Strasbourg rejecting the influence of ‘foreign judges’. And an altogether different side-effect: the verdict is likely to further dampen the already tricky prospects of Berne striking an institutional agreement with the EU. Indeed, the ruling has caused a stir in Berne, with the legal affairs committees of both chambers of parliament, no less, urging the Federal Council not to implement the judgment – a remarkable thing for elected politicians to do in a country that follows the rule of law. Looking ahead, there is a likelihood that other environmental organisations around Europe will be buoyed by the Strasbourg ruling and take their own climate cases to the ECtHR. For example, environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe now believes that its case against the German government, which it took to the ECtHR in 2022, has a realistic chance of success. sponsibility to prescribe to Switzerland how it should achieve its climate goals. They considered that the Swiss Confederation itself should assess the specific measures to be taken, and present these to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. Essentially, it is the job of the Committee of Ministers to supervise the adoption of measures aimed at ensuring that individual member states comply with the ECHR. As a first step, the Klimaseniorinnen group now wants the Federal Council to order an expert-led review of Switzerland’s climate goals, taking the national carbon budget and the remaining global carbon budget into account. Ruling attracts criticism Wydler-Wälti and her fellow plaintiffs were jubilant and relieved after the ECtHR ruling. But the reaction from other quarters was less complimentary, including from those who are actually in favour of doing more to fight climate change. Green Party member and former federal judge Brigitte Pfiffner told the “SonntagsZeitung” that the ECtHR had overstepped its authority by overriding domestic legislation as well as direct democracy. Pfiffner is alluding to the referendum in 2021, when voters rejected a beefed-up CO2 Act that would have introduced an air ticket levy. She believes the ECtHR is interfering in domestic politics instead of following the wording of the Convention. Pfiffner also said that the judges failed to adequately explain why a civil society group (the KlimaSeniorinnen) was suddenly entitled to sue, and which human rights were specifically violated. Furthermore, the judges failed to convincingly demonstrate how Swiss climate policy had impaired the group’s right to privacy and family life under Article 8 of the ECHR. The court took a relatively straightforward line as to whether there is a causal link between gaps in Swiss regulations and the higher temperatures and heatwaves referred to in the case. It said that a state is liable if its relevant authorities would have had a realistic chance of changing the outcome or mitigating adverse effects by taking reasonable measures. But even if Switzerland had cut For further background information, read our piece on Rosmarie Wydler-Wälti at www.revue.link/climate “The ECtHR oversteps its authority by overriding domestic legislation as well as direct democracy.” Former federal judge Brigitte Pfiffner Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 10 News
Leaving everyone behind in a cloud of dust 12:50.9 The now 69-year-old middle-distance runner and Olympian Markus Ryffel is a legend in Switzerland. His Swiss record over 5,000 metres seemed unbreakable. But Dominic Lobalu bettered Ryffel’s 40-year record by 16 seconds at the end of May, setting a new mark of 12:50.9 minutes. In other words: Lobalu shattered the record. 65, 274 As Lobalu breaks records on the running track, working people in Switzerland – most in rather more sedentary occupations – are responsible for superlatives of a completely different kind. They work an average of 65,274 hours over a lifetime – completely “outperforming” their counterparts in France (55,620), Germany (53,098) and Luxembourg (51,859). Source: Eurostat, OECD 1.39 This begs the question: do people in Switzerland have any time left for family life? Switzerland’s birth rate has fallen to 1.39 children per woman, the lowest it has been for over 20 years. A developed country’s population will age and decline without a birth rate of at least 2.1 – unless it is supplemented by immigrants. Like Dominic Lobalu. Source: Federal Statistical Office 180, 000 With or without children, cleaning and other household chores are another fact of life. There is always somewhere to wipe down or hoover. A plume containing 180,000 tonnes of Sahara dust blew over Switzerland on 30 March 2024. Swiss skies turned an eerie orange. Cue the next question in our editorial office: whose turn is it to do the spring cleaning? www.revue.link/dust Source: SRF Meteo 3,000 Only days after his feat over 5,000 metres, Lobalu, 25, also broke the Swiss 3,000-metre record. The story behind the story: Lobalu fled to Switzerland from South Sudan. “I grew up as a refugee,” he says. “This is my identity. And my goal is to win a medal. For all refugees.” www.dominiclobalu.ch 3.7 Talking of work, Switzerland’s unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent is really low. Look for work and you will normally find it. Labour shortages are the big issue at the moment, with companies struggling to find the right employees. Source: Federal Statistical Office FIGURES COMPILED BY MARC LETTAU “Swiss Review”, the magazine for the Swiss Abroad, is in its 49th year of publication and is published six times a year in German, French, English and Spanish in 13 regional editions. It has a total circulation of 431,000, including 253,000 electronic copies. “Swiss Review”’s regional news are published four times a year. The ordering parties are fully responsible for the content of advertisements and promotional inserts. This content does not necessarily represent the opinion of either the editorial office or the publisher. All Swiss Abroad who are registered with a Swiss representation receive the magazine free of charge. Anyone else can subscribe for an annual fee (Switzerland: CHF 30 / Abroad: CHF 50). ONLINE EDITION www.revue.ch EDITORS Marc Lettau, Editor-in-Chief (MUL) Stéphane Herzog (SH) Theodora Peter (TP) Susanne Wenger (SWE) Paolo Bezzola (PB, FDFA representative) FDFA OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS The editorial responsibility for the “Notes from the Federal Palace” section is assumed by the Consular Directorate, Innovation and Partnerships, Effinger- strasse 27, 3003 Berne, Switzerland. kdip@eda.admin.ch | www.eda.admin.ch EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Nema Bliggenstorfer (NB) TRANSLATION SwissGlobal Language Services AG, Baden LAYOUT Joseph Haas, Zurich PRINT Vogt-Schild Druck AG, Derendingen PUBLISHER The “Swiss Review” is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). The postal address of the publisher, the editorial office and advertising department is: Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne. revue@swisscommunity.org Phone: +41 31 356 61 10 Bank details: CH97 0079 0016 1294 4609 8 / KBBECH22 COPY DEADLINE FOR THIS EDITION 10 June 2024 CHANGES OF ADDRESS Please advise your local embassy or consulate. The editorial team cannot access your address and administrative data. Thank you. Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 11 Switzerland in figures Imprint
MARKO LEHTINEN Everyone is talking about Nemo. But Nemo has withdrawn from the limelight for the time being. It would be interesting to catch up with Nemo – who identifies as non-binary – to ask them what they feel (the artist uses they/them pronouns). We would love to hear from them about their momentous win in Malmö. What are the implications for Nemo’s career and life in general? And in particular, what does it mean to non-binary people in Europe? Is this a game-changer for gender identity? Is Nemo the queer community’s answer to Greta Thunberg? Nemo is currently unavailable for interviews. According to record company Universal Music, the artist is focusing solely on the “next creative process and forthcoming live performances” – and asks for a little patience. We completely understand. Anyone doing what Nemo has just done would need time to adjust and let the dust settle. Nemo is lying low in Berlin. Born 25 years ago in Biel, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) winner Nemo Mettler, known professionally as Nemo, has chosen the German capital as their adopted home. As a child, Nemo learned to play the violin, piano and drums, and had extensive singing lessons. Their first major performance came in Biel at the age of ten, in the role of Papageno What now for Nemo? Switzerland’s Nemo is the first non-binary act to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Is Nemo now set to become Europe’s queer icon? And what are the Berlin-based singer’s prospects for the global career that many have predicted? in a children’s opera version of “The Magic Flute”. Nemo got involved in musicals following this classical debut, appearing on stage at the age of 13 in “Ich war noch niemals in New York” – a German-language musical based on the songs of Udo Jürgens. But it was in hip-hop that Nemo found their true calling, winning four Swiss Music Awards after making their mark in 2017 with hit single “Du”. Back then, Nemo was still known as a male artist. Nemo then left Switzerland and moved to Berlin, where they would eventually come out as non-binary exactly six months before ESC. And what now for Nemo? After Malmö, the initial reaction among reporters was that the ESC winner is set Nemo sang and danced on a revolving disc for their performance at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. All part of Nemo’s smooth and rounded Malmö experience. Photos: Keystone Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 12 Culture
about their coming out as a non-binary person. Nemo is unlikely to have lasting international success. But will Nemo prove to be a linchpin for the queer community? Nemo’s victory has opened a heated debate about non-binary people in Switzerland. Since Malmö, the ESC winner has repeatedly called for the Swiss authorities to allow third-gender designations on official documents, turning this into a political matter. Plans are even afoot for Nemo to meet Federal Councillor Beat Jans. Politicians across the spectrum recently thrashed out the issue on the prime-time current affairs show “Arena”. It would be interesting to know whether Nemo considers themself to be the queer community’s new icon. And whether Nemo wants to carry this mantle or just focus on music. Time – or maybe Nemo’s next interview – will tell. for a global career. But this is unlikely. “The Code” was certainly a good song – an original combination of drum ’n’ bass, hip-hop, pop and classical showcasing of Nemo’s impressive singing voice in the chorus plus a very personal autobiographical message (“I went to hell and back, to find myself on track”). Yet it was also quite formulaic; the unmistakeable product of an experienced songwriting think-tank and hit factory consisting of Benjamin Alasu, Lasse Nymann and Linda Dale, trimmed from the outset into a suitable format. A song written by Nemo, but also slightly manufactured. We won’t be humming it like “Waterloo” in 50 years’ time. Another factor is that few past ESC winners have gone on to international stardom. There are prominent exceptions to this rule. Abba won the then Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson 50 years ago, representing Sweden, while a certain Canadian woman called Céline Dion flew the flag for Switzerland, winning in 1988. Otherwise, acts have tended to disappear as quickly as you can say “douze points”. Some have enjoyed domestic success, but no more than that. Furthermore, previous winners have often benefited from some sort of political or social groundswell – which never bodes well for an act’s musical prospects. Neither Israel in 1978 and 1979, nor Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022, won with the best song. Even Nemo’s spiritual predecessor in 2014, Austria’s bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst, will be remembered for raising awareness about discrimination based on sexuality. It is fair to ask whether Nemo would have won ESC if Nemo had identified as a man or a woman and the song had not specifically been The winning song is politically charged: Nemo identifies as non-binary. Video: www.revue.link/nemo Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 13
1924 saw the first open-air performances at the “World Theatre” in Einsiedeln, featuring a world figure surrounded by earth spirits. Photo: Welttheater Einsiedeln Amateur actors form the troupe and continue to play the roles today. Top: production design from 1960. Bottom: auditions for the 1981 performances Photos: Welttheater Einsiedeln, Keystone To mark the new millennium, contemporary Swiss authors were commissioned to write a fresh interpretation. The version by Thomas Hürlimann, first performed in 2000, returned to the monastery stage in 2007. Top: the “world” dressed in red Left: the figure cabinet with the main characters Photos: Welttheater Einsiedeln, Keystone In 1981, the stage took the form of a massive “P” for “pax”. Photo: Welttheater Einsiedeln Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 14 Images
100 years of Einsiedeln World Theatre: stage fever in a monastery village Since 1924, the “World Theatre” by Spanish baroque poet Pedro Calderón de la Barca has been performed every few years in front of Einsiedeln monastery. In recent decades, contemporary authors have reinterpreted the four-hundred-year-old mystery play. This year, a version by Swiss author Lukas Bärfuss takes to the stage. Some 500 theatre lovers from Einsiedeln will participate in the open-air spectacle. Continued on page 16 In 2013, author Tim Krohn illustrated man’s greed and interference with creation using the example of genetic engineering. Photos: Welttheater Einsiedeln, Keystone In 2024, women took the main roles in “The Great Theatre of the World”. Author Lukas Bärfuss elaborates on the existential questions of Calderón’s mystery play: what is my role in life? What is a good life? Photos: Welttheater Einsiedeln Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 15
THEODORA PETER The Einsiedeln backdrop is unique. The monastery square bordered by arcades – Europe’s second-largest church forecourt after St Peter’s Square in Rome – provides the setting for the “World Theatre”. The imposing facade of the baroque church looms in the background. Einsiedeln monastery is Switzerland’s top pilgrimage site: hundreds of thousands of visitors come every year to marvel at the black Madonna in the Chapel of Grace. In 1917, a local scientist discovered that the square in front of the monastery was acoustically very well suited to theatre performances. The abbot of the Benedictine abbey then gave his blessing for “spiritual plays”, which led to the selection of a Spanish mystery play. Baroque poet Pedro Calderón de la Barca wrote “The Great Theatre of the World” (El gran teatro del mundo) in the 1630s. The work portrays human existence in the form of a play. A ‘creator’ allocates the roles and the ‘world’ is the stage where the story unfolds. The allegorical characters include the rich man, the beggar, the king and farmer, as well as beauty, wisdom and grace. For 50 years, the “World Theatre” in Einsiedeln stayed true to the original, through the German translation by Joseph von Eichendorff. However, in 1970, people started to express their disapproval of the outdated image of a societal order determined by a divine being, where power structures are confirmed instead of being called into question. Existential life questions It took another 30 years for the organisers to come up with a contemporary version. Swiss author Thomas Hürlimann, a former pupil at the Klosterschule in Einsiedeln, was commissioned to come up with a new interpretation for the 2000 and 2007 seasons. From then, “Einsiedeln World Theatre” has integrated current issues. For example, in 2013, author Tim Krohn used the example of gene technology to focus on interventions in creation and the human pursuit of perfection. The most recent version – postponed from 2020 to 2024 due to the corona pandemic – was penned by Lukas Bärfuss. The award-winning author is one of the most incisive exponents of contemporary Swiss literature and a keen-eyed observer of societal developments. Bärfuss also addresses the existential questions posed by Calderon’s mystery play: “What is my role in life? What am I prepared to die for? What is a good life?” These questions are eternally relevant, although the social resonance of these themes has changed. Four hundred years ago, a person’s fate was more or less set at birth. Someone born as a beggar remained poor – and hoped for a better life in heaven. “Today, the enlightened person faces the challenge of plotting their own course in life.” In Bärfuss’s version, a woman – Emanuela – embodies all the roles in Calderón’s play. As a farmer, she succeeds in becoming queen, loses power and falls into poverty, before she turns her fortunes around and finally leaves the world as an old woman. A major village undertaking The locals make up the cast for the Einsiedeln production, with roughly 250 amateur thespians playing major and minor roles. A further 250 people also work behind the scenes. “The whole of Einsiedeln is involved in one way or other,” says James Kälin, president of the organising committee. Kälin himself fell in love with the theatre at his mother’s knee, as he once explained in a radio interview. As a youngster, he was one of the singing angels on the monastery square while his father played the main role of the beggar. His mother worked behind the scenes in the cloakroom – as his grandfather had done before. Other families from the village have also been involved with the open-air performance for generations. Producer Livio Andreina, who set up “World Theatre” 2024 with Lukas Bärfuss, raves about the “incredible enthusiasm of the participants”. Andreina told the local paper that the Einsiedeln theatre performance is unique in Switzerland. “It’s a lot more than just a play; it’s a social project involving the entire village.” The Benedictine monastery is also represented on the theatre company’s managing committee. The production has relied on its goodwill for 100 years. In the early days, the monks composed the music for Calderón’s “World Theatre”, before secular musicians took over from the turn of the century. In the 2000 and 2007 performances, a monk took to the stage. Father Kassian Etter, who died in 2009, remains the only monk from the monastery to have acted in the play to date. Spanish baroque poet Pedro Calderón de la Barca (16001681) wrote “The Great Theatre of the World” as a spiritual play for Corpus Christi. Swiss author Lukas Bärfuss (*1971) will present a contemporary interpretation of Calderón’s “World Theatre” in Einsiedeln in 2024. From religious mystery to modern didactic theatre The “Einsiedeln World Theatre” runs until 7 September. www.welttheatereinsiedeln.ch References: Einsiedler Welttheater. Lukas Bärfuss. Rowohlt Verlag, 2024. 100 Jahre Welttheater in 100 Geschichten. Walter Kälin. Schwyzer Heft Nr. 115, 2024. Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 16 Images
17 EVELINE RUTZ A person’s place of residence dictates whether they are subject to mandatory health insurance – not their nationality. If you live in Switzerland, you must have health insurance in Switzerland. If you leave Switzerland, you must arrange healthcare in your new home country. Thanks to bilateral treaties, this rule does not apply to people who move from Switzerland to an EU or EFTA country. Civil servants posted abroad are also exempt. But people who move to countries outside the EU/EFTA (e.g. in South America or Asia) are affected. Swiss Abroad outside the EU/EFTA must either access public healthcare in their host country or take out private insurance. “This is unfair,” says National Councillor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter. “A lot of these expats have paid health insurance in Switzerland for many years and, in some cases, barely claimed on it.” It is expensive and not always possible for Swiss Abroad to take out basic health insurance in their new place of residence, Schneider-Schneiter explains. Older people or people with existing health conditions have a particularly raw deal. Their policies are often subject to exceptions and limitations – even for private care. This can have serious consequences. “In the worst case, people can be refused treatment.” Some countries only provide healthcare if you have an insurance card, says Ariane Rustichelli, Director of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). “This is unacceptable and can have dramatic consequences.” It is not uncommon for expats seeking treatment to return to Switzerland, provided they can undertake the journey. As soon as they are officially residing in Switzerland again, they can receive care through the Swiss system. Many of the 290,000 or so Swiss Abroad who live outside the EU/EFTA are already of an advanced age, when health problems become more of an issue. Finances have not been rosy for many of them. “They emigrated because the cost of living in Switzerland was too high,” says Rustichelli, adding that life in a new country can be a challenge at first, not least for older people. The vagaries of health insurance can make settling in even harder. But the outcome is good from a domestic perspective, “because when someone entitled to Swiss healthcare subsidies leaves the country, that’s one less person to worry about.” The idea that entitlement to healthcare ends at the national border has drawbacks, confirms health economist Willy Oggier. Swiss Abroad are excluded from basic state health insurance in places like Brazil or Thailand. And they have less scope for switching to private healthcare. Private options are often limited, with “In the worst case, people can be refused treatment” Anyone who moves to a country outside the EU/EFTA is no longer entitled to health insurance in Switzerland – and risks falling through the net. OSA Director Ariane Rustichelli believes that Switzerland benefits from expats receiving good healthcare abroad, “because when someone entitled to Swiss healthcare subsidies leaves the country, that’s one less person to worry about”. The current situation is unfair, says National Councillor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, adding that lots of expats have “paid health insurance in Switzerland for many years”. tions. She has submitted a motion to this effect. Expats should be able to receive healthcare where they live, in her opinion. “Health insurers benefit from fewer people returning to Switzerland. They save money.” Rustichelli also wants parliament to discuss the issue. “Analysing the current situation would be a good start,” she says. Meanwhile, the OSA is in the process of talking to several health insurers in order to secure a wider range of private packages offering better conditions. According to some policies only reserved for the under-70s and normally subject to a medical examination. Existing health conditions are, therefore, an impediment to getting adequate insurance cover. Health insurers are usually less keen to offer policies to older people. “It makes little economic sense to them.” Centre politician Schneider-Schneiter wants the Federal Council to look into the matter and provide soluOggier, policymakers should consider collective solutions in relation to individual countries or regions. Insurers could draw up standardised guidelines in the form of framework contracts and, for example, specify additional costs for policyholders with existing health conditions. “This would immediately improve insurance cover, at least to a degree,” he says. Effecting changes in legislation through political means is much more complicated, with the government still happy with the status quo. But Schneider-Schneiter is quietly confident. “My motion enjoys broadbased support and has a good chance of being accepted.” The motion in full: www.revue.link/ess Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 Politics
THEODORA PETER Three months after the surprise public decision in favour of a 13th month of OASI (old-age and survivors’ pension) payments, a second sociopolitical shock failed to materialise. Even though many households are creaking under the strain of high health insurance premiums (see “Review” 3/2024), a majority of voters rejected the idea of extending further reductions. The SP’s premium relief initiative would have primarily benefited low-income earners, who currently spend over ten per cent of their income on health insurance. The initiative received widespread support in French-speaking Switzerland and in Ticino, where premiums are higher than in other regions. The German-speaking cantons, however, and thus the majority of voters (55.5 per cent) vetoed the proposal. Opponents of the initiative had stressed during the campaign that the measure would cost billions. The Swiss Abroad supported the Yes camp in vain: they narrowly approved the proposal. The second proposal on healthcare costs submitted to the vote of the people was an even bigger failure. The so-called “Cost brake in the healthcare system” measure was rejected by 62.8 per cent of voters; even the Swiss Abroad were against it. Only five cantons approved the Centre Party’s initiative. The Centre had hoped that these cost brakes would create more pressure to lower costs in reality. A majority of voters were nonetheless concerned that adopting such a scheme could lead to a two-tier healthcare system. Federal Council to state cost targets The failed initiatives have not been entirely for nothing. In both cases, indirect counter-proposals that had previously been approved by parliament come into effect. Cantons that until now had invested only a little in reducing premiums will now have to devote more money to the issue, although considerably less than the initiative would have required. Instead of cutting costs, the Federal Council will now set cost and quality targets every four years for the healthcare sector. This is intended not least to clarify which costs are medically justified. From the perspective of the healthcare economy, this is a step in the right direction, but demographic trends are posing further challenges. The baby boomer generation is now of retirement age, and an ageing population means more costs for doctor’s visits and hospital stays. The people want the best possible care Expensive healthcare remains one of the major financial concerns for the Swiss population. Health insurance premiums have more than doubled in the past 20 years, and a further increase is looming in 2025. The various stakeholders involved were previously unable to agree on which reforms would curb this trend. A new financing model, which would provide greater incentives for outpatient treatment instead of costly hospital stays, is expected Initiatives fail but problems remain On 9 June 2024, Swiss voters rejected two popular initiatives putting forward various solutions for Switzerland’s very high healthcare costs. This unresolved problem will remain something of a political hot potato. Cost reduction initiative 0 5 1015202530354045 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 38.2% The Centre’s initiative that aimed at cutting healthcare costs was rejected by a majority of 62.8 per cent. Only five cantons came out in favour of the proposed instrument for regulating rising costs. The Swiss Abroad also rejected the proposal. Swiss Abroad Cost Brake Initiative – yes votes in per cent Premium relief initiative 0 5 1015202530354045 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 50.9% The initiative brought by the SP failed to reach a majority: 55.5 per cent of voters and the majority of the cantons said no. A language divide emerged during the vote. Only the French and Italian-speaking cantons supported the drive to cap premiums. The Swiss Abroad also voted yes. Swiss Abroad Premium Relief Initiative – yes votes in per cent Swiss Review / July 2024 / No.4 18 Politics
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