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Playing with marked cards

How Swisscom, Ringier & Co. steered the e-ID vote in their favour – with Palantir in the background

by Michael Straumann*

(31 October 2025) 50.39 per cent in favour, 49.61 per cent against – a difference of just 20,000 votes, barely more than the population of a small Swiss town. The result caused a stir around the world. Many people on social media were appalled that Switzerland of all countries – the land of direct democracy, often romanticised as the “island of freedom in Europe” – had approved the e-ID law.

The magic of the white flag gives hope Preserving Swiss neutrality

Preserving Swiss neutrality

by Ursula Felber*

(31 October 2025) Max Dätwyler travelled the world with a white flag for peace – ridiculed, misunderstood, but unwavering. His courage reminds us that those who remain silent in times of war are complicit.

Peace concerns everyone, and everyone can sow the seeds of peace. Very few people approve of violence, but those who stand up for peace in times of war have a difficult position. They are quickly suspected of being out of touch with reality or of taking the wrong side.

Resilience – invisible armour

Teaching values based on the Christian concept of humanity

by Gilla Frank*

(24 October 2025) The conditions under which children grow up today are extremely challenging. Increasing relativism in values, the loss of religious and family ties, digital “co-educators” and the educational crisis in many schools point to the causes of this aberrant development. However, we parents can do a lot and have not only the right but also the duty to protect our children’s souls. But how can we protect them from contemporary trends associated with value relativism, identity diffusion and susceptibility to addiction?

Review of the Parliamentary Elections in Moldova

A test case for Switzerland?

by René Zittlau*

(24 October 2025) (CH-S) Moldova is a candidate for EU membership. The country's government therefore made a special effort to meet Brussels' requirements in the recent elections – the official criteria are compliance with the rule of law and democracy. This is an interesting test case for closer ties between Switzerland and the EU. A review of the election process reveals contradictions. Eastern Europe expert René Zittlau has investigated the matter.

Right to development and national interest in the global context

International Patriotic Pact Organization – 2025 Forum United Nations, Geneva, Palais des Nations, 1 October 2025

Hans Köchler,* Austria

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(24 October 2025) The General Assembly of the United Nations, in its resolution 41/128 of 4 December 1986, defined the right to development as an “inalienable human right” in the individual and collective sense. According to Paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Declaration, this implies that all peoples enjoy the “inalienable right to full sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources.”
Middle East 

“For an end to the spiral of hatred and violence”

(17 October 2025) The Secretary of State of the Holy See Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke to the Vatican media on the second anniversary of Hamas’ “shameful and inhuman” attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which led to the destruction of the Gaza Strip. He called for the release of hostages and an end to the violence.