Cliff edge

For the nerds out there: there is a very detailed “List of countries by average elevation” on Wikipedia, according to which Germany would have a continuous altitude of under 300 metres. France would be just under 400, Italy over 500, Austria over 900 and Liechtenstein over 1,100. With every country in Europe flattened, Switzerland’s border would be like the edge of a towering cliff. We would be the new sheriff in town. A vertical 1,000-metre cliff would separate us from our northern neighbours.

Why this mental image? We all know that Switzerland’s border is just a line on the map. You can often walk over it without knowing, let alone falling off a cliff. If you hike in the Jura mountains, you sometimes don’t know which country you are in.

Nevertheless, the next few months will see Switzerland arguing whether its cliff edge is real or not. After a seemingly interminable series of negotiations, we now know the outlines of how Switzerland and the European Union want to cement and maintain relations in future. The stakes are high, affecting the everyday lives of people who have got used to open borders and the principle of free movement. Affecting students, trade, goods supplies, energy, and of course that old chestnut, immigration. It is time to get specific on how much of a relationship Switzerland wants with the EU without becoming an EU member itself. Read about it in our lead article.

The Swiss Abroad will also have decisions to make when they elect the people to represent them on the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), the de facto “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”, for another term. Many will be able to elect their local delegates directly via e-voting for the first time. This will make the CSA more representative, giving delegates greater legitimacy to defend the interests of the “Fifth Switzerland”.

MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

List of countries by average elevation: www.revue.link/cliff