EVELINE RUTZ In the heart of Europe yet somehow detached from it all – Switzerland is something of an anomaly. When European heads of government meet, the Swiss are usually absent. Surveys consistently show that the majority of the Swiss population are sceptical towards the European Union (EU). Political efforts to align more closely with the EU are not generally well received, outweighed by fears that rapprochement will endanger sovereignty and prosperity. The majority seem to be happy for Switzerland to play a bit part in European politics. lives in a beautiful Strasbourg mansion. With over 1,800 staff and an annual budget of some 625 million Swiss francs, Berset is responsible for strategic planning and for representing the Council of Europe as an organisation. Predecessor Marija Pejcinovic Buric of Croatia was a relatively cautious general secretary, but Berset looks set to lead from the front and drive the agenda. He says he wants to bolster the organisation, which aims to protect human rights and is also home to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Berset’s appointment is also likely to imAlain Berset puts Switzerland on the European stage Alain Berset is the first Swiss to become secretary general of the Council of Europe, an institution that he wishes to strengthen. Berset’s appointment is also likely to enhance his home country’s profile across Europe. someone at the top of a leading organisation,” she says. Switzerland is not an EU member, so this position of authority means something. In her opinion, Alain Berset has everything it takes to give the Council of Europe greater credibility. This interpretation is widely shared. Berne’s mediating role has been strengthened, says SVP politician Alfred Heer, who heads the Swiss delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and has noticed how other members now afford him and his colleagues greater respect. “It always helps when you have a compatriot in the top job.” But Heer is keen to emphasise that the secretary general has a duty to serve the Council of Europe as a whole – that means all 46 member states. He thinks that Berset coming from a non-EU country is an advantage. “With Alain Berset at the helm, I sincerely hope the Council of Europe can again play a more active role in resolving conflicts.” Berset’s priority: Ukraine Berset has already stressed more than once that he wants to prioritise support for Ukraine. “Reparations need to be paid for the damage inflicted on Ukraine,” he says. To calculate future reparation payments, the Council of Europe wishes to document the impact of the Russian invasion. Berset also wants to strengthen During a visit to Switzerland in September 2023, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, met the then President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berset – who is now her successor. Photo: Keystone Selfie time – Alain Berset meets four sumo wrestlers during a state visit to Japan in 2018. Photo: Peter Klaunzer, Keystone It was remarkable, therefore, to see political parties unanimously pushing earlier this year for former Federal Councillor Alain Berset (SP) to become secretary general of the Council of Europe. Politicians from left to right agreed that filling this important position constituted a rare opportunity for Switzerland. Their unity paid off: Berset, who left the Federal Council at the end of 2023, started his new job on 18 September 2024. The 52-year-old now prove Switzerland’s profile across Europe. Not by bringing Swiss interests to the table, but by representing a nation that mediates in conflicts and is proud of its tradition of ‘good offices’. Switzerland’s role in Europe Helen Keller, who is a law professor and former judge at the ECtHR, believes that Switzerland will become less isolated in Europe. “We now have Swiss Review / October 2024 / No.5 12 Politics
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