Brussels’ gravitational pull
Why the EU welcomes closer cooperation with Switzerland
by Thomas Scherr*
(4 April 2025) For many decades, our country has managed to stay out of existential danger – not only from the First and Second World Wars. Now Switzerland seems to be increasingly caught in the gravitational field of an increasingly belligerent and greedy-for-money EU.
At the same time, politics and the media in the country are buzzing around disorientated, with the navigation system switched off, through the undeclared, Europe-wide synchronised media opinion and emotions’ carpet. Who is familiar with the institutes “East StratCom Task Force”, “Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence” or “Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence”, which have been working since the mid-2010s? The censorship of opinion via the EU’s “Digital Services Act” is better known. What does this mean for Switzerland and its population?
In the EU’s gravitational field
On 28 February 2022, the Swiss Federal Council joined the EU’s unilateral coercive measures against Russia without any visible constraint. In doing so, it severely damaged the country’s neutrality. The direct external consequences: International Geneva is now only considered a second-choice venue for negotiations, confidence in Switzerland as a financial centre has been severely dented, Switzerland is increasingly being questioned as a depositary state for the International Red Cross, and the country is being pushed even closer towards the EU.
Cheek kisses with Ursula
Within a few minutes, the Federal Council destroyed what had been carefully built up over many decades. This rapprochement with Brussels was orchestrated by the lukewarm negotiating skills of Bern and the cantonal governments in the years before – apparently there are conveniences beckoning from EU countries, or, for example, a minor position in the Council of Europe. In December 2024, this development reached an embarrassing climax with the photo shooting of Federal Councillor Viola Amherd and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (UvdL) exchanging cheek kisses.
The EU’s current demands are being tried to be sold to us as our own negotiating successes. If it ever comes to an accession, the loss of personal rights will be sold to us as a “small legal adjustment” with the EU”.
Officially “neutral”
In the Swiss army, the adaptation to the outside world is most clearly expressed. The army appears to be a foreign-owned company that simply buys more goods than it really needs. At the same time, the core business – national defence – is deteriorating. The best example are the 36 overpriced fighter jets whose turbines had to be replaced shortly after purchase at the taxpayer’s expense and which cannot be controlled independently of the manufacturer. This is one bad deal, among several others. It begs the question of how it really came about.
Meanwhile, our army is incapable of defence, but largely NATO-compatible. However, officially, we remain “neutral”...
As the country moves closer to the policies of the EU, the Swiss Confederation’s internationally esteemed diplomatic service, with its expertise acquired over decades, is withering. If things continue this way, “good offices” and diplomatic support in the international arena may soon be a thing of the past.
Officially still performing “well”
The Swiss education system is also compatible for accession to the EU: a few decades ago, it stood out worldwide for its performance and efficiency. In the meantime, it has sunk to an embarrassing level, thanks to adjustments to international standards such as Pisa and Bologna. The country only officially performs “well” because the others have become much, much worse. For a country like Switzerland, scarce in raw materials and dependent on the skills and abilities of its inhabitants, this is tragic.
A “splendid” strategy
Now the “classe politique” is preparing to tie the country to a self-ruining EU. Instead of saying goodbye to ineffective unilateral sanctions against Russia and taking trade with Eastern Europe back into our own hands, the Federal Council scores another own goal by participating in the EU’s 16th round of sanctions against Russia. What a “splendid” strategy; it could have come straight from Brussels.
Currently, the Brussels headquarters wants to incur an additional 800 billion (!) Euros of debt through its member states to become “fit for military service against Russia”. (Our northern neighbour is simultaneously abolishing its “debt brake”. There are no longer any upper limits for armament – everything is “special funding”. The necessary war sentiment is delivered in the background by NATO’s cognitive warfare, such as the “East StratCom Task Force”. In just a few weeks, they deliver a mental turnaround in the media that was previously unthinkable. Everything is adopted unquestioningly. No thought is given to the fact that future generations will have to pay off gigantic mountains of debts for death, misery and ruins!
And – guess who will make a fortune from these deals?
EU wants citizens’ private assets
Currently, Brussels is seizing as much power as it has not had in a long time and is ignoring all objections. The “European Union” is increasingly developing into a moloch that disregards civil rights and wants to make its citizens completely dependent with central bank money. It is preparing for war in 2030, without the member states and their populations having a say.
In addition to the planned debt orgy, EU Commission President UvdL and Friedrich Merz point out without blushing that they want to access the private assets (!) of their citizens.
What role has Brussels planned for Switzerland? That of a mute paymaster?
Strategy of doom
Let us summarise: Current EU policy will result in the EU losing out completely to the US and the BRICS countries on future trade with Russia and Ukraine, thereby sidelining itself as a trading partner. The EU is using the gigantic new debt to procure overpriced US weapons to wage a war that can only be lost.
The consequences: Switzerland, disoriented and increasingly subservient to the EU, voluntarily withdraws from the upcoming business with Eastern Europe. It will take on EU debt through hidden channels and, in the worst case, it will be invited to waste its overpriced F-35s for the EU – in a completely “neutral” manner, of course. A truly “splendid” strategy for ruining the country.
“When the Alpine snows turn red, pray, free Swiss, pray!”
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How a political “turnaround” might work is currently being demonstrated to us on the other side of the Atlantic. So it can’t be that difficult ...
| * Thomas Scherr, independent author with “Swiss Standpoint”. |