The day the snow returned

The early snowfall – and the enormous quantities of it – revived memories of winters long past. However, the journey down a snowy memory lane proved brief, as the snow melted almost as suddenly as it arrived. The early winter days ultimately reverted to type, at least for the lower lying parts of the country: countless shades of grey rain and wet green.

The stark contrast brought home that winter is changing. The picturesque postcard image of winter in Switzerland is being increasingly consigned to the past – or a scene embellished with artificial snow. The change is being felt most acutely in the ski resorts. Many of the lowerlying ski lifts have had to be decommissioned in recent years. The winters have simply become too warm. The idea of skiing as a national sport that anyone can enjoy practically on their doorstep has become somewhat passé, as our Focus article shows.

Winters may be getting warmer, but for some people life is set to get harder. The Swiss parliament passed radical spending cuts in December. Their consequences are far-reaching, particularly for the most vulnerable: Switzerland has made massive cuts to its development aid. The outlook isn’t exactly rosy for the Swiss Abroad either, at least not if they have any specific expectations of their home country. Parliament is also cutting benefits for the Fifth Switzerland. A survey we conducted in the Federal Palace shows that political sentiment towards the Fifth Switzerland is cooling.

Marc Lettau, editor in chief