A friend recently told me what would happen if Switzerland were to be levelled into a single plateau. Let that sink in for a moment. If we bulldozed all our mountains, filled in the valleys and distributed the earth and rubble evenly across the entire country, the whole of Switzerland would sit around 1,300 metres above sea level. The fun would really start if our neighbouring countries did the same thing. For the nerds out there: there is a very detailed “List of countries by average elevation” on Wikipedia, according to which Germany would have a continuous altitude of under 300 metres. France would be just under 400, Italy over 500, Austria over 900 and Liechtenstein over 1,100. With every country in Europe flattened, Switzerland’s border would be like the edge of a towering cliff. We would be the new sheriff in town. A vertical 1,000-metre cliff would separate us from our northern neighbours. Why this mental image? We all know that Switzerland’s border is just a line on the map. You can often walk over it without knowing, let alone falling off a cliff. If you hike in the Jura mountains, you sometimes don’t know which country you are in. Nevertheless, the next few months will see Switzerland arguing whether its cliff edge is real or not. After a seemingly interminable series of negotiations, we now know the outlines of how Switzerland and the European Union want to cement and maintain relations in future. The stakes are high, affecting the everyday lives of people who have got used to open borders and the principle of free movement. Affecting students, trade, goods supplies, energy, and of course that old chestnut, immigration. It is time to get specific on how much of a relationship Switzerland wants with the EU without becoming an EU member itself. Read about it in our lead article. The Swiss Abroad will also have decisions to make when they elect the people to represent them on the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), the de facto “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”, for another term. Many will be able to elect their local delegates directly via e-voting for the first time. This will make the CSA more representative, giving delegates greater legitimacy to defend the interests of the “Fifth Switzerland”. MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF List of countries by average elevation: www.revue.link/cliff 4 Focus Switzerland and the EU want to overcome their differences 9 News Debate on stricter banking rules following Credit Suisse debacle 10 Society The book covering hundreds of Swiss culinary specialities Federal Council proposes legislation to ban Nazi symbols 14 Report The new trend in high-rise buildings made of wood News from your region 18 Switzerland in figures It’s official: the Swiss are Europe’s bookworms 20 Books How direct democracy framed Switzerland’s relationship with its diaspora 22 Sounds Meimuna – soft voice in a turbulent world 24 Sport Euro 2025 – Swiss women’s football on the big stage 28 Notes from the Federal Palace Interview with Marianne Jenni, the new director general of the Consular Directorate 31 SwissCommunity news Cliff edge Cover photo: Regional specialities from the canton of Appenzell. Illustration from the new book “Das kulinarische Erbe der Schweiz”, Echtzeit Verlag, Basel “Swiss Review”, the information magazine for the “Fifth Switzerland”, is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad. Ina Invest/Implenia Swiss Review / April 2025 / No.2 3 Editorial Contents
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYwNzMx