Echo

Breel Embolo

The “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” has hailed him as a wonder kid. He is undoubtedly a star. He has been playing in FC Basel’s first team since March 2014. He became a naturalised Swiss citizen last year in an accelerated procedure. He is now the youngest member of the Swiss national squad, while he also had the option of representing Cameroon. Several top European clubs are now setting their sights on signing him. He remarks: “I’m not that interested in these rumours. I’ll talk to those in charge when I feel the time is right. For the moment I just want to play football.”

CVP courts Swiss living abroad

CVP Switzerland founded the CVP International as a parent party on 1 August. It is focusing primarily on three objectives: Establishing a global party network, ensuring the issues of the Swiss Abroad are addressed more effectively in politics and giving CVP members and sympathisers living abroad the opportunity to voice support and engage in politics for the CVP. CVP International will be led by Patricia Mattle (New York), Daniel Wyss (Hong Kong), Raymond Loretan (Geneva) and Filipo Lombardi (Council of States member for Ticino) as co-presidents.

Swiss weapons much in demand

The Swiss arms industry exported weapons worth just under 217 million Swiss francs in the first half-year 2015. That is about 30 million Swiss francs or 16 % more than in the same period last year. Germany was the largest recipient of Swiss armaments. A new major buyer of war material is Indonesia, whereas exports of weapons to Russia and France fell sharply.

MPs and moonlighting

Who are MPs primarily representing in politics? French-speaking radio and swissinfo have carried out an in-depth investigation into this issue. Using various databases (commercial register, official list of vested interests, parliamentary proposals) they revealed which MPs hold mandates at which private companies, associations and foundations etc. and are therefore interest group representatives in this respect. Topping the list is the liberal Council of States member Max Fluri with 33 mandates. In second and third places are National Councillors Ruedi Noser of the FDP with 30 mandates and Jean-François Steiert of the SP with 29. FDP MPs hold 11 non-parliamentary mandates on average. They are closely followed by CVP parliamentarians. At the bottom of the list come the Greens with six mandates on average.

Photo of Zimmerwald

In the last issue of “Swiss Review” we published a photo of the Hotel Beau Séjour in the article on the international socialist conference held in Zimmerwald without giving proper attribution for the photo. The stone lithograph belongs to Daniel Guggisberg, a Swiss Abroad living in Los Angeles.