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Federal President and VBS head Viola Amherd appeals to politicians to invest in the army and security. At the same time, FDP President Burkart accuses centrist President Pfister of not adhering to exactly this. There is also a conflict simmering in the European dossier.
To kick off the new year, the party leaders are meeting in the “Arena” for a summit with the new Federal President and Head of the Defense Department (VBS), Viola Amherd.
Right at the beginning of the program she makes it clear how she looks to the future in terms of security policy: “In 2024 we will have to overcome many challenges because the geopolitical security situation is not rosy.” This has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Newer forms of war such as cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns would also exacerbate the threat situation and present Switzerland with new challenges. Amherd appeals to her colleagues and parliament: What is needed now is good cooperation in the Federal Council and investments in the army and security.
“Not a wish list, but necessary”
By 2035, military spending should amount to at least one percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This is what Parliament decided in the last winter session. This is estimated to correspond to an increase from today’s 5.5 to 10.5 billion francs per year. The increase in spending was originally planned for 2030.
For FDP President Thierry Burkart, investments in the army are progressing too slowly. The security situation has worsened and at the same time “we have been keeping the army dead for 30 years,” said Burkart. That is completely irresponsible. He all the more accuses the centrist President Gerhard Pfister of having “switched off” after the autumn elections because it supported the delay in spending until 2035.
Pfister replies: “We always have to look at the entire financial budget. Security is important, but there are also other areas that need funding.” This is what constitutes a responsible financial policy. “The solution we have now is manageable and does not endanger safety.”
SP co-president Mattea Meyer is not at all satisfied with the spending decided by parliament: “The commoners want to inflate the army budget, even though we don’t even know what’s on the army’s shopping list.” Ultimately, says Meyer, this means savings in other areas, for example in education.
VBS head Amherd denies this and emphasizes that the army is not using the money to buy its “wish list”, but rather to replace necessary systems. “In recent years, the army has made savings.” The “retrofitting” is urgently necessary because “security is a valuable asset for people”.
For SVP party president Marco Chiesa, this is completely undisputed. “Everyone thought there would be no more conventional war in Europe and now we have exactly that in Ukraine.” A modern and well-equipped Swiss army is needed because that is the “minimum” that politicians can do for the security of the population.
What happens next with the EU?
In addition to current challenges, a long-running political issue was once again debated in the “Arena”: Switzerland’s relationship with the EU. At the end of last year, the Federal Council approved its negotiating mandate.
Although the negotiations have not yet started, Pierre-Yves Maillard, President of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions and SP Council of States, has already expressed criticism. There is no chance that the unions would agree to the package, Maillard said in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag”.
SP co-president Meyer said in the “Arena” that the SP still needed clarification, especially when it came to wage protection. However, she has become more confident that a solution will be possible.
It is not true that the European Court of Justice decides.
Marco Chiesa is not very confident. “Such an agreement would disempower Switzerland and its people. We would have to adopt EU law and accept foreign judges.” He fears that in a dispute between Switzerland and the EU, the European Court of Justice would decide.
Federal President Amherd vehemently contradicted this. In this case, she now has to do a little “dotting.” If there is a difference, the arbitration tribunal, made up of Swiss and EU judges, can refer the matter to the European Court of Justice. However, Switzerland could also decide not to accept the arbitration tribunal’s decision. The EU could then demand “proportionate compensatory measures”, “but it is not true that the European Court of Justice decides”.
The Federal Council’s roadmap for negotiations with the EU is ambitious. He would like to move forward with negotiations as quickly as possible. Next week, Viola Amherd wants to take the opportunity at the WEF in Davos to talk to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.