The magazine for the Swiss Abroad On thin ice – taking scientific readings on Switzerland’s disappearing glaciers Referendum looms on funding the 13th state pension payment Beavers – nature’s wetland engineers helping to increase biodiversity OCTOBER 2026
Switzerland in your pocket SwissInTouch.ch The app for the Swiss abroad swissintouch.ch Exclusively available here © pexels.com Consular services anywhere, conveniently on your mobile devices www.fdfa.admin.ch Kuala Lumpur (2023) VATEL SWITZERLAND HOTEL & TOURISM BUSINESS SCHOOL Professional Bachelor in Hospitality Management ES/HF Preferential financial conditions for Swiss citizens: up to 40% of tuition fees covered by your reference canton. www.vatel.ch Contact admissions@vatel.ch +41 79 952 54 31 +41 41 639 61 00 · www.stiftsschule-engelberg.ch Sometimes, we simply head into the mountains. Online Information Event 3rd November 2026 Co-Educational Boarding, Gymnasium, Secondary School Off we go! trollhauser Image: ©️ Keystone Switzerland, always with you. Reliable and relevant news, information, and in-depth coverage of politics, business, society, and the issues that matter to Swiss citizens living abroad. Stay in touch with Switzerland: Get the SWIplus app now
By the time you hold this edition of “Swiss Review”, or read it online, Switzerland’s exceptionally hot, dry summer will be in the past. An extreme summer of record temperatures, depleted groundwater levels, animal feed shortages, tinder-dry forests, and increased hospital admissions caused by the heat. Our glaciers also suffered badly, although these masses of ice have been melting for quite some time already. Since 2000, Switzerland’s 1,400 or so glaciers have diminished in volume by almost 40 per cent. As global warming continues unabated, they are set to melt even faster. What is it like up there on the ice? How do the scientists work out how quickly and by how much the glaciers are melting? And what would it mean if these stunning natural wonders vanished completely? Glaciers define the Swiss Alps. They act as reservoirs and are popular tourist magnets of cultural value. “Swiss Review” visited the mountains to find out. Our editor and our photographer put on their crampons and observed as two scientists from ETH Zurich took readings on the Scex Rouge glacier in the Vaud Alps (see page 4). Their findings are sobering, as we explain in our lead article. But a prominent Swiss glaciologist tells us he has not lost all hope. Thanks to the blistering summer, this year’s National Day celebrations were relatively muted. Fireworks were banned almost everywhere because of the risk of fires. This ban could become permanent – if the electorate endorses a popular initiative seeking to restrict their use across Switzerland. The debate ahead of the 29 November vote has polarised opinion, not least within our editorial team (see page 10). Three other items will appear on the ballot sheet, including the referendum on a proposed VAT hike to fund the 13th state pension payment, which was approved by voters in 2024 and will be made to all eligible recipients at the end of 2026. Parliament’s decision to increase VAT was preceded by much political wrangling. We look back at this debate and explain the formalities of the 13th payment to all Swiss Abroad. State pension; National Day fireworks; glaciers – Switzerland in a nutshell. We all have some say on these issues. And not just at the ballot box. ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM: NEMA BLIGGENSTORFER Time is running out for Switzerland’s magnificent glaciers Cover photo: Glaciologist Janosch Beer measures how much ice has melted on the Scex Rouge glacier at the end of July 2026. The glacier reached up to the top of the pole a year earlier. It is likely to disappear completely within 20 to 30 years. Photo: Marco Zanoni “Swiss Review”, the information magazine for the “Fifth Switzerland”, is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad 4 Focus How climate change is melting glaciers – a report 10 Politics Tradition or nuisance? Voters to decide on firework ban 13 Politics Relaxing the rules on arms exports – voters to have the last word 14 Economy Why Swiss banks hid their gold in the mountains 16 Images An exhibition dedicated to Blatten, the buried village News from your region 20 Profile Remembering the life of Jean Ziegler – Switzerland’s best-known intellectual 22 Swiss extremes A tsunami on Lake Lucerne – and its implications 30 Notes from the Federal Palace The Swiss Compensation Office online portal 34 SwissCommunity news Youth camps in Switzerland – making memories and friendships Photo: Alain Amherd Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 3 Editorial Contents
Swiss glaciers – melting in record time Alpine glaciers were severely affected in the scorching summer of 2026. Their dramatic retreat is one of the most visually striking symptoms of climate change. If temperatures continue to rise unchecked, glaciers could disappear entirely by the end of the century. “Swiss Review” accompanied two scientists on an expedition to assess the ice loss. ETH Zurich scientists Janosch Beer and Ariana David assessing ice loss on the Scex Rouge glacier, where the cantons of Vaud and Valais meet. Photo: Marco Zanoni Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 4 Focus
5 THEODORA PETER We disembark at the Glacier 3000 station that straddles the cantons of Vaud and Valais, having ascended by cable car from the Col du Pillon. It is the last Monday of July, and we are now almost 3,000 metres above sea level. From this lofty perch, we can make out the highest peaks in the Alps. The tip of the Matterhorn has been dusted with fresh snow, as thunderstorms brought some showers the previous day. Otherwise, the precipitation already seems to have evaporated. This is a summer of extreme drought – and the next heatwave is on its way. Temperature records have been broken in many places around Switzerland. It is a fairly cool 10 degrees Celsius up here. Cloud formations drift across the sky. A high plateau stretches out before us, comprising the relatively flat Scex Rouge and Zanfleuron glaciers. These two ice masses were still connected to each other until a few years ago. They have been separated since 2022 by bare rock that emerged due to intense melting – a consequence of human-driven climate change. Ten years ago, this spot was still buried under 15 metres of ice. Now the rocky spine of the Col de Zanfleuron protrudes ever more prominently above the two shrinking glaciers. The continuous sound of splashing “Swiss Review” is out in the field with 31-year-old glaciologist and ETH Zurich doctoral student Janosch Beer as he measures surface melting and takes ice temperature readings on the Scex Rouge. Colleague Ariana David is with him, assisting with the work. We take the chair lift that leads 200 metres down to the glacier in summer, where tourists can then walk along a safe, marked trail called the Glacier Walk. Next to the lift lie long piles of snow covered in white tarpaulin. Many mountain resorts “farm” snow deposits like these to preserve snow from the previous winter for the following ski season. On reaching the edge of the bare glacier, we fasten crampons onto our hiking boots. These additions will help us keep our balance on the slippery ground. There are rivulets and small streams everywhere along the slightly downward incline. We can hear the continuous sound of splashing. Beer has been coming here every summer for several years. “I have never seen the glacier so wet,” he says. Meltwater has collected at the lowest point to form a small lake, the contents of which cascade over the precipice. Situated more or less halfway across the glacier is an aluminium pole that can be seen from a good distance. The glaciologists are using it to measure how much ice has been lost. It is called an ablation stake. A year ago, Beer inserted it four metres deep into the glacier. The pole’s upper end now sticks out almost three metres above the ice. “And summer isn’t over yet.” A second measurement at the lower end of the glacier completes the data: some 2.4 to 2.9 metres of pure ice have melted this season on the surface of the Scex Rouge glacier. According to Beer, this corresponds to readings from previous years, which were classed as high to extreme. Without doubt, the glacier’s days are numbered. Still 40 or so metres deep, the Scex Rouge is likely to disappear within 20 to 30 years. This outcome is inevitable, because the glacier is unable to retreat to a higher area where snow would also fall in summer, allowing new glacier ice to form. Too much water Besides measuring the thickness of the ice, Beer is looking at the ice temperature at various depths. At the start of his research project, he installed sensors within the glacier that are connected to the surface via a long cable. Beer hooks up his laptop to the cable and downloads the various readings in no time. One of the things he is investigating as part of A chair lift takes visitors down from the Glacier 3000 station to the Scex Rouge (left) and the Zanfleuron (right) – two glaciers that were connected to each other until 2022. On the ground are long piles of leftover winter snow, kept under white tarpaulin for the next ski season. Photo: Marco Zanoni Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4
his doctoral thesis is how a lack of snow cover affects temperatures inside the glacier. The purpose of his findings is to help safeguard against the impact of natural events. The Blatten disaster in 2025 showed just how devastating the consequences of collapsing glaciers can be for villages below (see pages 16 and 17 as well as “Swiss Review” 4/2025). As soon as all the readings are complete, Beer takes out a power drill from his rucksack. The aluminium poles need to be pushed four metres deep into the glacier again, so he needs to drill new holes into the ice. Beer aborts his first drilling attempt after reaching a depth of one metre – too much water is pushing up from underneath. “This has never happened to me before,” the researcher says. After trying at a couple of other spots, he finally completes the job. His work on the Scex Rouge is finished for this year. Beer spends the following days in Valais, taking more readings. The glaciologist emails us a week later, telling us that the ice was melting intensely wherever he went. “Some poles were protruding over three metres above the ice. We were able to take readings just in time. The ice around other poles had melted completely. These readings were lost.” He also noticed how much exposed ice was visible at Natural reservoirs in danger The disappearance of glacier ice has major implications for water security. “There is a reason why the Alps are known as the water tower of Europe,” says glaciologist Matthias Huss. Major rivers like the Rhine, Rhône and Po begin there, fed in part by snowmelt and glacial melt. “The glaciers are like natural reservoirs; they help to keep water flowing, particularly when it is hot and dry.” People in Alpine valleys have taken advantage of glaciers for centuries, building channels to funnel meltwater towards their dry pastures and fields. Some of these ancient irrigation canals are still in use in Valais, where they are referred to as “bisses” in French and “Suonen” in German. Hydropower generation is also likely to be affected in the long term as glaciers shrink, Huss says. Melting glaciers are currently helping to replenish reservoirs. “But the effect will diminish once these natural reservoirs have been drained.” (TP) altitudes over 4,000 metres. “Those parts used to be covered in snow all year round.” One extreme year after another All data on glacier volumes is fed to the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland network, known as GLAMOS, which monitors 176 glaciers. Every September, at the end of the hydrological year, GLAMOS publishes overall readings from a number of key glaciers. These were not yet available at the time of our editorial deadline. But 2026 already looked like an extreme year based on early readings in July, says GLAMOS director Matthias Huss. “Switzerland’s glaciers are in a very, very poor state,” the 46-year-old glaciologist confirms in a video call. Glaciers have been retreating continually since 1990, but the melting had again accelerated considerably in recent years, he said. The real tipping point was 2022, when records tumbled. “It has been one extreme year after another since then.” Apart from the hot temperatures, this year’s massive glacial melt is down to a lack of winter snow. “If there is enough snowfall in winter, this can protect the ice well into summer.” However, melted areas of glacier expose darker surfaces that absorb the sunlight and warm up. “This turbocharges the melting process.” Sahara dust blowing into the Alps accentuates this effect. Yet not even snowy winters are enough to stop the decline. Take 2024, for example, when Huss measured up to five metres of new snow covering the glaciers 3,000 metres The researchers pull the drill rod from a freshly drilled hole. They will then re-insert the pole (lying on the ice to the right) four metres deep into the glacier. Photo: Marco Zanoni Glaciologist Janosch Beer downloads temperature data onto his laptop. The cable is connected to sensors that he inserted deep into the ice a few years ago. Photo: Marco Zanoni Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 6 Focus
The value of beauty Switzerland’s national identity is intertwined with the Alps and their glaciers. The Swiss national anthem even refers to the mountains glowing bright with splendour in the red morning skies. But what if the Alps were one day reduced to nothing but desolate grey rocks and scree? Author Marcel Hänggi, who has covered the climate crisis as a journalist for over 20 years, addresses this question in his recently published book “Das Schöne, das verloren geht” (When beauty is lost). Driven by “grief at the devastation that humans have caused”, Hänggi looks at what we lose by destroying the environment, and why beauty hardly plays any role in the political and scientific debate. Can beauty be a reliable basis for making decisions? “Difficult to say,” he concedes. Yet the beauty of nature is relevant, “because we are quite obviously unable to protect the environment when we only consider the environment’s instrumental value.” In his wide-ranging essay, Hänggi moves the discussion beyond the notion of nature being something that is merely useful. “Without beauty, life is no longer deserving of its name.” (TP) DAS SCHÖNE, DAS VERLOREN GEHT. MARCEL HÄNGGI. ROTPUNKTVERLAG, 2026 “Seeing glaciers disappear before our eyes, we realise what is at stake,” says glaciologist Matthias Huss, head of the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland network, known as GLAMOS. Photo: Keystone Climate change has also taken its toll on big glaciers. The Rhône Glacier is retreating further and further, leaving a lake where the ice has melted. Photo: Keystone up. “I remember thinking it would be impossible for the snow to melt completely by autumn.” Two hot summer months later, and the snow had gone. “Ultimately, summer is the key factor causing glacial melt.” The big glaciers are also melting Extreme years have a particularly devastating impact on small glaciers, causing them to disintegrate into smaller sections or disappear completely. Huss has himself witnessed the gradual disappearance of the Pizol glacier in the canton of St Gallen, which he has visited around 50 times in the last 20 years to take readings. “After 2022, all that was left was a rolling plateau of rocks and scree.” Switzerland’s biggest Alpine glaciers – the Aletsch Glacier in the Jungfrau region, and the Gorner Glacier near the Monte Rosa massif – suffer a moderate annual loss in thickness of around two metres, barely apparent to the naked eye. Both glaciers are hundreds of metres deep. “But if you stand in front of one of the glacier tongues, you notice the difference from one year to the next,” says Huss. The front of the Rhône Glacier Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS) www.glamos.ch More glacier photos: www.revue.link/ice “Seeing them disappear before our eyes, we realise what is at stake.” Matthias Huss, glaciologist is a prime example. “The ice there has retreated a long way back, leaving a lake where it has melted.” According to Huss, the survival of high-lying glaciers depends on “whether the world turns the tide on climate change”. If we can limit global warming to 1.5°C, “then these glaciers can retreat to higher altitudes”. But this scenario is becoming increasingly unlikely. “We are currently on course for a 2.7°C increase in global temperatures. Climate projections even show the Alps getting warmer by 4°C.” If recent extreme years become the default, “it is quite possible that the ice will disappear completely even at altitudes above 4,000 metres by the end of the century.” The outlook is depressing, but the glaciologist is undeterred. In fact, Huss believes documenting the great changes in the Alps is an opportunity. “We can harness the evocative force of glaciers to illustrate climate change.” Glaciers resonate with many people, be it due to childhood memories or holidays spent in the mountains. “Seeing them disappear before our eyes, we realise what is at stake.” Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 7
EVELINE RUTZ December will see the first 13th state pension (OASI) payments being made to all eligible recipients in Switzerland and abroad. The total outlay will be around 4.2 billion Swiss francs, but demographic changes mean this sum will likely rise to 5.4 billion francs by 2040. The number of pensioners increases every year. At the end of 2025, 2,635,200 people – one third of whom live abroad – were receiving OASI benefits. The figure is likely to be about three million in 10 years’ time. Costs will also increase, because pensions are regularly adjusted in line with inflation and wages. Yet it is still unclear how the increased pension payments will be funded. The trade unions may have scored an historic victory at the polls in 2024 with their idea of a 13th state pension payment (see “Swiss Review” 3/2024), but they never addressed the financial side. Unsurprisingly, subsequent debates in parliament have been protracted and heated. Referendum looms on VAT hike to fund the state pension system Following heated debate, parliament has decided to increase VAT to 8.5 percent as a means of partially funding the 13th state pension payment without the working population having to pick up the tab directly. Voters will now be asked for their opinion on 29 November 2026. How to cover the expense? Increase pension contributions? Raise taxes? Redistribute revenue? Whatever the answer, parliamentarians from all parties wanted the result of the 2024 vote to be implemented quickly. Voters treating themselves to an additional OASI payment now had to pay for it, noted conservative politicians dryly. As the Centre Party National Councillor Thomas Rechsteiner put it: “Those saying yes to the 13th payment need to realise that it won’t come free.” The question of whether measures to help fund the payment should be temporary or permanent was another sticking point. A time-limited solution would have made the need for structural reforms even more pressing. Around 2.6 million people were receiving OASI benefits at the end of 2025. The figure is likely to be 3 million in 10 years’ time. Shopping bills are set to rise – meaning all sections of the population will help to fund the 13th state pension payment. Photo: Alexander Faé, Unsplash Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 8 Politics
“Those saying yes to the 13th payment need to realise that it won’t come free.” National Councillor Thomas Rechsteiner The 13th state pension payment The additional state pension (OASI) payment will coincide with the normal state pension payment in December. OASI recipients will be notified in advance. People entitled to a state pension from 1 January 2026 can find all relevant details in their pension award notice. OASI recipients who live abroad do not need to take any action. The 13th payment will correspond to one twelfth of an insured person’s annual pension. How much a person receives will depend on their pension contributions and income situation. Individuals will receive a maximum of 2,520 francs, and married couples no more than 3,780 francs. The 13th OASI payment has no bearing on supplementary benefits and is not taken into account when calculating these benefits. There is no additional pension payment for widows, widowers or orphans. Disability pension payments will also remain limited to 12 times a year. (ERU) but the special rate for the hotel and accommodation sector would rise from 3.8 to four percent. The VAT increase should generate around 1.5 billion francs a year in revenue, which is not even half of what is needed to fund the additional OASI payment. None of the political parties are completely satisfied. Their ideas on how to secure the long-term viability of the state pension differ considerably. Reaching any compromise is tricky. Reaction to the Federal Council’s OASI reform proposals for the period from 2030 to 2040 is another prime example. The government wants to incentivise people to work beyond the age of 65, but has chosen not to increase the retirement age. The future of the state pension per se will soon be on the parliamentary agenda. And the debate will continue. On a knife edge The issue highlighted fault lines not only across the political spectrum but also within individual parties. Politicians faced pressure from their colleagues not to break rank. The outcome was on a knife edge throughout. After much wrangling, the different factions arrived at an initial compromise during the summer session: increase the standard rate of VAT by 0.4 percentage points from 2028 to cover at least part of the additional cost. The measure requires an amendment to the Federal Constitution and will, therefore, be put to the vote of the people and the cantons. The Federal Council originally suggested increasing VAT by 0.7 percentage points until 2030, but parliament had other ideas. An alliance of Centre and SP politicians dominated proceedings in the Council of States, aiming at first for a VAT increase of up to one percentage point. The upper house revised this target after fierce criticism from the National Council, eventually settling on a 0.4 percentage point increase while also proposing higher state pension contributions. VAT is not socially equitable as an instrument in itself, argued a majority in the Council of States. People on low incomes would be hit more in comparative terms than those on high incomes, whereas pay deductions would put the onus more on higher earners. Combining both elements would provide the 13th OASI payment with a broad foundation and secure its long-term future, the Council of States concluded. But there was opposition to this plan within the National Council. The Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the Liberals (FDP) and the Green Liberals (GLP) pushed back vehemently against the idea of higher pension contributions, emphasising that paid work needed to remain attractive, and that people earning a living already had enough to contend with. “We don’t want any further redistribution from young to old – it would be unfair on working people,” said GLP National Councillor Patrick Hässig, adding that a VAT hike was the lesser of two evils. It would mean non-earners – including pensioners and tourists – also having to pay their share. But the SVP, FDP and GLP would only countenance a temporary VAT increase. They said that shoring up pensions in the long term was the priority, requiring urgent structural reforms – such as incentives for people to stay in work for longer, or automatic stabilising mechanisms to take account of demographic trends. Yet the GLP, unwilling to risk a funding impasse, changed tack at the very last moment and grudgingly voted in favour of a VAT hike with no time limit. Higher prices from 2028 If voters endorse parliament’s decision, companies will have a two-year buffer before they have to adjust their prices, with consumers paying more from 2028 onwards. VAT would increase from 8.1 to 8.5 percent. A reduced rate of 2.6 percent would continue to apply to basic items like food, medication, books and newspapers, Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 9
SUSANNE WENGER Swiss citizens can put political issues on the agenda by launching popular initiatives. They first have to collect at least 100,000 signatures. Some proposals that clear this hurdle prompt head-scratching abroad. How about cow horns in 2018? Pyrotechnics could be this year’s equivalent – because of an initiative submitted in 2023 that seeks to ban the sale and private use of loud fireworks (see “Swiss Review” 3/2025). Campaigners – spearheaded by Roman Huber, a dog trainer and former journalist from Aargau, and Corinne Meister, an IT expert and animal owner from St Gallen – have stressed that they do not want a blanket ban. Lownoise fireworks like volcano fountains would be exempt, as would public firework displays on public holidays like Swiss National Day on 1 August, subject to cantonal approval. The initiative is backed by three animal welfare groups, including Swiss Animal Protection (SAP), which has a large membership base. The initiators of the proposal say that house pets, livestock, and wild animals need to be spared the distress and disruption caused by the detonation and visual effects of rockets and firecrackers. The noise is also harmful to people, they argue. Particulate matter from fireworks is a health risk, while pollutants find their way into soil and water. There are also over 200 accidents involving fireworks every year, they note. Opponents warn of overregulation The federal government has rejected the initiative. A majority in parliament also oppose it, their main thrust being that the proposal will lead to overregulation. Cantons and municipalities already have the authority to restrict fireworks – as they did during this year’s National Day celebrations because of the dry conditions posing a fire hazard. Numerous municipalities have already imposed permanent restrictions or bans, with the popular mountain and tourist regions of Grisons taking the lead. Fireworks are a tradition on Swiss National Day, not to mention an increasingly integral part of New Year’s Eve celebrations, say opponents of the initiative, who warn of the business impact of a nationwide ban and call on people to show tolerance and accountability instead. Nevertheless, both parliamentary chambers initially backed a counterproposal offering a watered-down version of what was on the table. In particular, lawmakers suggested banning firecrackers that produce a bang but no visual display. However, the National Council surprisingly threw out its own amendments in the final vote of the summer session, taking the counterproposal off the table – the result of an unlikely cross-party alliance between right and left. The conservative SVP and FDP thought the counterproposal overstepped the mark, while the Greens deemed it too soft. Only the original initiative will be put to voters. No more fireworks? Animal welfare and environment groups have tabled an initiative that seeks to ban the sale and private use of loud fireworks across Switzerland. The proposal will be put to the vote of the people and the cantons on 29 November 2026 – after parliament rejected a counterproposal at the very last moment. Not everyone wants fireworks – a popular initiative is seeking to restrict their use across Switzerland. Pictured: the 2022 Swiss National Day celebration in Lausanne. Photo: Keystone 10 Politics Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4
Fireworks – what a blast I admit it: I am one of those part-time pyrotechnics fanatics who “pointlessly” set off rockets and firecrackers. I know how noisy, environmentally harmful, and dangerous they are – to health and even to life. I know I am polluting the air and causing stress to innocent animals. But I love it. The 1 August fireworks have been my ritual for the last 50 years. A way to celebrate life. They even taught me the virtue of saving money. Only after months of squirrelling away pocket money could I afford enough “ammo” to spend hours firing salvos with my cannon made from a tube of cardboard. If the cannon caught fire, my father would put the flames out – mimicking an air raid siren as he did so. My dad was a serious man, but even he was a child at heart on 1 August, indulging my boyhood dreams. Just as I would later enjoy living out the child in me as a dad, egged on by my daughter: “Papa, you’re the best!” Fireworks were always meant to entertain the masses – ever since they were invented by the Chinese in 200 BCE before arriving in Europe in the 14th century. Public festivities harnessed the spectacle of fire to make great shows. Just as amateur pyrotechnicians do today. And don’t we all like to show off now and again? But the fun is over. Over two thousand years later, and fireworks are suddenly taboo. The sensible people have been leading the backlash, not least since war in Europe became brutal reality again. And yes – I think the fun police will win, regardless of whether the proposed ban is endorsed. Not only do they have sounder arguments, but timid has also become the new zeitgeist. If children turn up at playgrounds wearing helmets, then we probably shouldn’t expect something as risky as fireworks to be tolerated much longer. I won’t put up a fight, nor expect you to either. Fireworks have had their day. No use in crying. Better to be grateful to have had the experience. As fume-laden and noisy the heyday of fireworks may have been, it was also full of joy and cheer. And wonderfully pointless. What a blast! Rudolf Gafner is a freelance journalist based in Burgdorf (canton of Berne) Fireworks – what a racket Growing up, I, too, remember the enthusiasm for fireworks, set off in Swiss front gardens and neighbourhood streets every year on 1 August. Not that I was particularly drawn to the spectacle, but neither did it bother me. I always enjoyed the Catherine wheel that my father would nail to a telegraph pole. It would spin faster and faster, throwing out sparks. I also have fond memories of the fireworks at our local summer lake festival, the Alps lending a glowing backdrop to the colourful display. It was beautiful. That was then. Now it’s just a constant banging and whizzing. Not only are the pyrotechnics more varied these days, but unfortunately they are also much more powerful. Back in the day, people lovingly lit rockets made from empty bottles of mineral water. Nowadays, we’re talking multiple-launch batteries taking several dozens of quickfire shots in less than a minute – turning the village square into a cardboard-strewn battlefield. The bigger the budget, the louder, the longer and more frequent the fireworks. Money is not in short supply in Switzerland. The result? Exasperated neighbours, quivering dogs, terrified cattle, and birds driven from their nests. Air pollution. Rubbish. Accidents. Fireworks are a life-affirming tradition, I hear you say. But how inconsiderate is “life-affirming” allowed to be? Most fireworks are made in China – to what extent are they part of our heritage? But few things are more Swiss than direct democracy. Which is why we can now decide whether the indulgence of a minority should continue to undermine growing awareness of animal and environmental protection. According to a survey conducted in 2024, only 13 percent of the population buy fireworks. Attitudes have changed, but the fun need not stop. How about Swiss-made fountain fireworks? These are effective enough without the ear-splitting noise. And by all means: let us all enjoy a safely organised public firework display now and again. They can be stunning. Communal experience or showing off? I know what I prefer. Susanne Wenger is a “Swiss Review” editor Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 11
THEODORA PETER The verdict from Swiss voters on 8 March 2026 was actually quite clear: every married person should fill out their own separate tax return in future. A majority of 54 per cent said yes last spring to the introduction of individual taxation for all, thereby ending tax discrimination against married couples – the so-called “marriage penalty” – at federal and cantonal level. Married couples have been taxed jointly until now, meaning that they have had to pay higher taxes when adding up two incomes. The new tax regime will see every person being taxed individually, regardless of their marital status. According to a follow-up survey conducted by gfs Bern, an institute specialising in political and opinion research, a large majority of people who voted yes did so because they also want equality to be reflected in the tax system. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether the result can be fully implemented. This is because the Centre Party is still pushing ahead with a proposal that it submitted back in 2024. Referred to as the “Fairness Initiative”, this proposal would oblige married couples to continue filling out a joint tax return – although the federal tax authorities would then have to ensure that spouses are not penalised for doing so. The initiative is clearly at odds with the introduction of individual taxation for all, which was approved at the ballot box. Although it concedes that the 8 March 2026 result was clear “in principle”, the Centre Party insists that voters are still entitled to make up their mind about this separate proposal, which would benefit single-income households. The SVP is the only other party backing the Centre Party initiative. “Nitpicking” The FDP, SP, Greens, and Green Liberals, on the other hand, call the proposal “nitpicking”, arguing that its main objective – no tax discrimination against married couples – has already been met. These parties formed the female-led cross-party alliance that paved the way for individual taxation in the first place – first in parliament, then at the ballot box on 8 March 2026. The Federal Council also opposes the initiative. Speaking in parliament, Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP) noted the contradiction that would arise if the initiative was accepted, given that the proposal only concerns direct federal taxation. “The FedTaxation of married couples – another vote to take place How should married couples be taxed in Switzerland? Only eight months after the vote on individual taxation, Switzerland must revisit the issue on 29 November 2026, when a fresh initiative is put to the people. eral Act on Individual Taxation would continue to apply at cantonal level,” she warned. This would complicate matters: married couples would only be taxed jointly at federal level, while cantons and municipalities would tax spouses individually. If it wanted to avert this discrepancy, parliament would have to make legislative amendments, Keller-Sutter said. “And this, in effect, would mean parliament trying to override the vote of the people.” In media interviews, the Centre Party chair Philipp Matthias Bregy rejected claims that the proposal would plunge the tax system into chaos. “Laws have to be amended all the time when we have votes,” he told the German-language public broadcaster SRF, adding that parliament would have to ensure that “a coherent and sensible solution is reached”. On 29 November 2026, voters and cantons will decide whether we get that far in the first place. Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter warned parliament of the complex implications of the Centre Party initiative. Photo: Keystone The initiative is at odds with the introduction of individual taxation for all, which was approved at the ballot box. Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 12 Politics
CHRISTOF FORSTER Swiss arms exports are a highly emotive issue. According to conservative supporters of parliament’s bill to relax export restrictions, Switzerland’s defence industry needs to be safeguarded. The domestic market alone is too small to sustain production. And a functional arms sector is crucial to Switzerland being able to defend itself. The debate surrounding this issue has been fuelled in recent years by foreign criticism of Swiss export restrictions. For example, the Federal Council’s decision to block the re-export of Swiss-made Gepard anti-aircraft ammunition to Ukraine in 2022 was met with dismay in Germany. A representative of one particular arms manufacturer told the “NZZ” newspaper that some countries had made the following abundantly clear: “No Chinese, no Swiss”. Berne, he noted, had been lumped in with Beijing. At the end of 2025, parliament voted to relax the War Materiel Act (WMA) following years of debate, approving a bill that would allow Swiss arms manufacturers to export military hardware to any of 25 Western countries, should these countries ever be involved in an armed conflict. These are countries that apply arms export controls equivalent to Switzerland’s. Federal Council veto The Federal Council would be able to ban exports if it believes that Swiss interests are in jeopardy with regard to foreign affairs, neutrality, or security. There would still be a ban on exports to countries that are carrying out serious and systematic human rights violations or are liable to use weapons against their own people. The purpose of this is to convey to primarily European NATO countries that Switzerland is a reliable partner. These 25 countries would also be allowed to re-export Swiss arms; at present, they have to ask Berne for permission to do so. Swiss arms exports – should restrictions be loosened? Parliament has voted to relax the export restrictions outlined in the War Materiel Act. Supporters of this move believe it will strengthen the domestic arms industry and is important to Switzerland’s security. The matter will now be decided at the ballot box on 29 November 2026, after a referendum was called to contest the bill. A left-green alliance submitted the necessary number of signatures to force a referendum opposing the bill. National Councillor Priska Seiler Graf (canton of Zurich) speaks into a megaphone. Photo: Keystone This, again, would be at the discretion of the Federal Council, which may exercise a veto as and when deemed necessary. Even under the amended WMA, a ban on direct exports and re-exports to Ukraine would still apply, because Switzerland, as a neutral country, is obliged to treat all warring parties equally. Left-wing parties and NGOs have called a referendum opposing the bill. They say it is not about Ukraine at all, as proponents of the bill initially argued, but ensuring that the Swiss defence industry can make as much money as possible from the build-up of military forces around the world. By loosening the rules, Switzerland is forfeiting control over its exports. And it will increase the risk of Swiss weapons ending up in countries like Saudi Arabia. 0.21 percent of all exports In 2025, Swiss arms manufacturers exported products worth 948 million Swiss francs, most of which were ammunition, armoured wheeled vehicles, and small arms. This is equivalent to 0.21 percent of all Swiss goods exports. Arms exports increased by 43 percent last year. Germany, the US, Hungary, Italy, and Luxembourg were the five main recipients. Ammunition and ammunition components accounted for almost half, armoured vehicles and their components for a quarter, and weapons of all calibres for 10 percent of all exported products. According to the federal government, the Swiss defence industry supports around 14,000 fulltime jobs when suppliers are included. We will review the results of the popular votes of 27 September in the next edition of our magazine. Swiss arms exports increased by 43 percent in 2025. Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 13 Politics
CHRISTOF FORSTER Ludo Groen’s new English-language book “Mountains of Gold” – the result of five years of research at ETH Zurich – is proof that history can be presented in a very lucid, engaging manner. The author describes in great detail how gold was moved from the Swiss National Bank (SNB) bunker underneath Berne’s Bundesplatz to the Swiss army fortification Fort Bühl near Andermatt (canton of Uri) via covert night-time transports. Guarded by armed bank officials, every convoy started with lorries pulling into Ostermundigen station from the SNB’s Berne headquarters. The bullion would then be loaded onto a goods train counting up to 20 wagons. After reaching Göschenen via Lucerne, the valuable freight would be reloaded onto lorries that then drove up the Schöllenen Gorge to Andermatt. Groen even studied the meteorological records of MeteoSwiss in order to tell the story as accurately as possible. The journeys proved very challenging. During the first one in April 1938, the escort was caught unawares by a heavy snowstorm and unable to leave the fortress via the normal route, as temperatures plummeted to minus 11 degrees Celsius. Berne was deemed unsafe Switzerland was an important conduit for gold during the Second World War. Between 1939 and 1945, the SNB bought 1.2 billion Swiss francs worth The secret Alpine gold depots Research at ETH Zurich has uncovered where Swiss banks stashed their gold in the Second World War – and how this helped to cement Switzerland’s reputation as a secure financial centre. James Bond also played a role. of gold from Nazi Germany. This included gold looted from Holocaust victims. Switzerland also traded gold from the Allies. Groen sheds new light on the history of gold in Switzerland. “Being an architect, I wanted to approach the history of gold in Swiss banking differently,” he says. Not simply by numbers but through the medium of rooms, buildings and landscapes. Groen is the first person to investigate how Switzerland moved its gold to clandestine Alpine depots during the 1930s and 1940s, establishing banking infrastructure away from the cities. The evacuation of gold from the federal capital was prompted by the army commander of Berne, who was concerned that an air raid could destroy the city as well as Switzerland’s gold reserves, which were mainly stored there. The army and the SNB subsequently met to brainstorm possibilities of moving the gold to secure locations in the Alps. They were inPostcard showing Fort Bühl embedded in the Gotthard massif. This is where the SNB began stashing gold in 1938. Photo: provided/ Library Am Guisanplatz, Berne The Eismeer station – situated 3,160 metres above sea level, behind the dreaded north face of the Eiger – was offered as a possible location for the SNB’s gold, but this solution proved too expensive. Photo: provided/ETH Library, Zurich Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 14 Economy
mental pollution, bad health, and exploitation of workers, particularly during the apartheid regime. Swiss banks played a role insofar as they issued loans to gold mining companies. Switzerland became a key trading point for South African gold. Alps – the promise of security Groen’s perspective therefore extends beyond the Second World War. He argues that the priority of defending the nation fed “the mythology of the Alpine fortress”. After the war, the banks appropriated this image to sell the promise of security, using Alpine imagery to convey a message of impregnability, trustworthiness and safety. For example, the 1982 Credit Suisse poster “Incredibly Swiss” depicted the snow-capped Alps. The two Bond movies filmed in the Alps in the 1960s, “Goldfinger” and “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, reinforced the image of Switzerland as a safe haven. Groen: “Switzerland’s international image shows how important the Alps were as the nation’s point of reference.” spired by Fort Knox in the US, which had been opened in 1936 and housed large quantities of US gold in a heavily fortified military facility. One of the first Swiss gold depositories was built in the heart of the military “redoubt” – the Alpine defence system designed to deter would-be attackers – in the aforementioned Fort Bühl, directly above the Gotthard tunnel. This made sense for both logistical and symbolic reasons, the author says. The Gotthard was not just any other location, “but, like the Jungfrau, one of mythical proportions”. Gold became intertwined with Switzerland’s national defence. Not long after the war began, General Henri Guisan expressed unhappiness that the SNB only had one depot in the Alps. The general staff of the armed forces suggested, therefore, that one of its munition depots in Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland be made available at short notice for storing gold – which is indeed what happened. Groen again gives a meticulous account of the transports to this second depot – even mentioning receipts for expenses such as the cost of lunch including gratuities. The author cross-checked his findings with the report of the Bergier Commission, which investigated Switzerland’s role in the Second World War, and with studies on economic history. In doing so, he discovered that the transports coincided with documented gold shipments from abroad. This revealed a pattern: not long after gold arrived in Switzerland, it would be moved onwards to the Alps. Switzerland’s strategic U-turn The purpose of the gold depots changed during the course of the war. As Groen explains, Switzerland made a strategic U-turn in 1940: shifting its thinking from military defence to economic cooperation. The gold depots now facilitated economic collaboration with Nazi Germany, through the trade in looted gold. And the depots in Interlaken and the Gotthard were no longer evacuation sites that needed to be camouflaged against bombing raids; they became efficient logistical hubs instead. Commercial banks like the Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (SKA) and the Union Bank of Switzerland also had plans to move banknotes, securities and gold to the Alps, with deserted grand hotels in Interlaken and Gstaad earmarked as storage sites. According to the author, plans were drawn up to renovate these ageing hotels and install underground strongrooms. But they were never fully executed. The book does not conclude with the war but goes on to reveal the global dimension of the gold trade. A supply chain underpins the gold, says Groen, citing the consequences of gold mining in South Africa – namely, environ- “Mountains of Gold” Ludo Groen, Gta Verlag 2026 After the war, banks appropriated the image of the Alps as a safe haven, says architectural historian Ludo Groen. Photo: provided/ETH, Michel Büchel Switzerland was an important conduit for gold during the Second World War. Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 15
On 28 May 2025, 10 million cubic metres of rock and ice plummeted into the Lötschental valley in the canton of Valais, burying the village of Blatten, which had already been evacuated. Pictures of the landslide captured global attention. The “Memories of Blatten” exhibition, which opened this summer at the Lötschental Museum in Kippel, further down the valley, dispenses with these images. “We chose not to rehash the disaster,” says the museum’s co-director Rita Kalbermatten. Instead, the exhibition remembers what was lost. The landslide – and water from the River Lonza that it blocked – consumed 130 houses along with personal objects, cultural artefacts, and the village church. Memories remain. They are the focal point of this carefully curated, understated exhibition, which features pieces that were rescued from the mud and rubble: a wedding dress, a cowbell, grandma’s hand-woven blanket. Inhabitants of Blatten contributed them voluntarily and later helped set up the exhibition, Kalbermatten explains. Some of these people appear on camera, explaining what the items mean to them. The exhibition includes organ music from the destroyed church as well as paintings and photos from the museum archive. They are the remnants of a buried village, yet they also point to the future – because plans are underway to rebuild Blatten by 2030. Kalbermatten is a Blatten resident herself. “Blatten will remain a part of us, forever and always,” she says. SUSANNE WENGER The “Memories of Blatten” exhibition runs at the Lötschental Museum in Kippel until the end of March 2027. Photos: Alain Amherd Remembering Blatten – remnants of a buried village Alfred Nyfeler painted this picture of the Bietschorn in 1962. The landslide began in the area underneath the summit in the left half of the picture. In May 2025, Blatten disappeared under a huge landslide. An exhibition at the Lötschental Museum now features exhibits from the village. This is an old key from the village hall, which was buried in the landslide. According to the mayor of Blatten, the key symbolises efforts to rebuild the village. Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 16 Images
This mask, which survived many carnival festivities over the years, was damaged in the landslide. This wedding dress, dating back to 2003, was retrieved from the water. Its owner had it cleaned before bringing it to the museum. Retrieved from Blatten: uniforms and a damaged tuba belonging to Fafleralp, the local village band. Fafleralp resumed rehearsals not long after the disaster. The Hotel Nest- und Bietschhorn, the oldest hotel in the valley, opened in 1868 but was destroyed in the Blatten landslide. Its earliest guest books have been preserved. A Blatten resident received this custom-made cowbell from his godmother and godfather on his 20th birthday. It was retrieved from the rubble. “We chose not to rehash the disaster.” Museum co-directors Rita Kalbermatten and Thomas Antonietti. Blatten – a photo essay Valais photographer Alain Amherd, who produced the photos for this double-page article, recently published a photo book on the Blatten landslide. Amherd followed events in Blatten closely. The book, entitled “Und dann war alles still” (And then everything was still), presents a stunning pictorial synopsis of the disaster and its physical and human impact. www.revue.link/blatten Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 17
E-voting rollout in Lucerne and Neuchâtel The e-voting rollout continues – now in two more cantons. The popular votes of September 2026 marked the first time that the canton of Lucerne’s expatriate voters were able to have their democratic say online. Swiss Abroad affiliated to the canton of Neuchâtel will be able to do likewise from November. Unlike in Lucerne, eligible voters in Neuchâtel will have to register once before using the system. Further information is available on the official Neuchâtel cantonal website: www.revue.link/ne. E-voting makes it easier for Swiss Abroad to exercise their political rights. Postal votes from the “Fifth Switzerland” often arrive at the ballot box too late. (MUL) Opposition to 30 km/h speed limit The Federal Council has hit the brakes on the 30 km/h speed limit. Cities and municipalities can no longer reduce the speed limit on “traffic-oriented roads” to 30 km/h of their own accord, but must first submit an expert assessment proving that any speed reduction will not push traffic into residential areas. This rule, which came into force on 1 October, reflects growing opposition to the 30 km/h speed limit, particularly from motorist groups (see also “Swiss Review” 1/2025). Cities and municipalities, on the other hand, have been clamouring for speed limits. (MUL) Switzerland joins NATO-run Ammunition Support Partnership Switzerland wants to be able to procure ammunition quicker, more easily and more cost-effectively – not least because the war in Ukraine has complicated the European security landscape. This is why it has joined the NATO-run Ammunition Support Partnership (ASP), which now enables 27 participating states, including Switzerland, to procure ammunition jointly – a process offering significant cost savings. The Federal Council believes joining the ASP is consistent with the principles of neutrality, arguing that the ASP is purely a procurement consortium and that Switzerland can withdraw from the partnership at any time. (MUL) Army wants fewer civilian deployments The Swiss Army provides many non-military services to society, such as erecting infrastructure for Swiss wrestling festivals, other sporting events, and major music festivals. According to information obtained by the “NZZ”, the army devoted a total of 26,000 service days to civilian deployments in 2025. Army commanders have now decided there is no basis for this work, nor is it viable anymore. In future, the army will refocus on enhancing its defensive capabilities. Although this aligns with the Federal Council’s new guidelines on the future of the armed forces, the change in direction remains controversial amid realities on the ground: army helicopters had to airlift emergency water supplies to drought-stricken farms in the Swiss Alps this summer. (MUL) Johan Manzambi OK, so Switzerland lost to Argentina on 12 July 2026 in the football World Cup. The outcome of that quarter-final might – might – have been different if forward Breel Embolo had not taken a dive. Prior to this defeat, a young Geneva player wowed football fans: Johan Manzambi, instantly nicknamed Manzambig despite not being particularly tall (5’ 11.5”). In the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, we saw the 20-year-old athlete burst out of the gates like a rocket and score a thrilling goal after only two minutes of play, before scoring a second time in the first half-hour. The match paved Switzerland’s way to the round of 32. Manzambi was not in the starting lineup, but his ability to read the game and his audacity made a big impression. The young player with jumbo locs enthralled fans with his “coolness”, as he nonchalantly made some daring and unpredictable plays. Johan Manzambi’s family comes from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but he grew up in Geneva. During his match against Bosnia, the young man walked up to a camera and dedicated his goals to his native city at the end of Lake Geneva. He also triggered a whirlwind of excitement among the young people in his childhood neighbourhood, Servette, which is also the name of the club where he began his career. “The combination of discipline and creativity makes him the perfect modern forward,” Giorgio Contini, former assistant to Swiss national coach Murat Yakin, wrote in “Le Temps”. Following an injury during training, Manzambig was unable to go any further in the tournament, and thus escaped the crushing defeat against Argentina. However, his efforts won him the admiration of football fans all over the world. STÉPHANE HERZOG Swiss Review / October 2026 / No. 4 18 Top pick News
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