A warm welcome!

You have our trilingual online publication in front of you. We hope you will take your time to read it and recommend us further. We are happy to inform you about new publications with our newsletter.

Reflections on “armed neutrality”

by Suzette Sandoz,* Pully VD

(31 July 2026) A neutral country cannot be credible if it does not have a credible army. But first, we must agree on what is meant by the term “credible army”. This is not just a matter of military capabilities, but also – and perhaps above all – of the ability and the will to “be prepared to defend oneself”.

Infectious disease hype...

... is about creating markets, not real health threats

by David Bell,* USA

(31 July 2026) The theme of impending doom and a desperate search for missing panaceas is aimed at wealthy countries, which makes the real difference. Even if a few eventually die, vast tranches of taxpayer dollars can still be offloaded to Pharma, and investors make a killing before such metrics become clear.

Switzerland–EU

Sword of Damocles hanging over Swiss heads

The devil is in the detail of the treaty package with the EU

by Professor Dr Dr h.c. Carl Baudenbacher*

(24 July 2026) In the official documents on the EU–Switzerland treaty package, the “Explanatory Report” of June 2025 and the dispatch of March 2026, the Federal Council does not stint on praise for its more than seventy negotiators, who between March and December 2024 took part in more than 200 negotiating meetings and rounds across fourteen specialist areas, or tracks. It is said again and again that all negotiating objectives were met, indeed more than met. Since these texts were written by the federal administration, one may assume that the civil servants awarded themselves the applause. Anyone who experienced the defunct GDR will be reminded, to some extent, of the slogans of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) at party congresses.

Finland’s Irrational Choice

The results of «Elite Capture»

by Olli Tammilehto*

(24 July 2026) (CH-S) Numerous irrational strategic decisions in Europe are the result of decades of “Elite Capture” by the US – according to Finnish author Olli Tammilehto.

A striking example is Finland's 58-year-old President, Alexander Stubb. He previously served as Finland’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, as well as Vice-President of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. Tammilehto’s article also turns the spotlight on members of the ruling elites in other countries.

Is Europe missing the boat to the future?

Will international relations soon be shaped without Europe?

by Ralph Bosshard*

(17 July 2026) A diplomatic offensive by the Eurasian countries is currently underway, aimed at implementing China’s “Global Governance Initiative” and Belarus’s “Charter for the Security of Eurasia”.

Once the summer holidays are over, things could really take off, and Europe might be relegated to the role of a bystander. Will Chinese and Belarusian diplomats be governing the pressing conflicts of our time?

Cavalcata Sarda – Sardinia’s most beautiful festival

… and what it has to do with walking upright

by Marita Brune-Koch*

(10 July 2026) (CH-S) The Cavalcata Sarda takes place every year in May in the Sardinian town of Sassari. The author of this article went there to see it.