Economy / Finance

UBS – state guarantee encourages risk-taking and speculation

New statutory guarantees planned by the federal government

by Rudolf Strahm*

(7 March 2025) (CH-S) In the spring session (3–21 March 2025), new legislation is to be introduced to regulate state aid for large, systemically important banks. Since 2008, there has been no effective legal regulation in place to protect taxpayers from the enormous financial consequences of a bank collapse. There is still no talk of a clear separation between speculative and business activities.

In a guest article, former federal price supervisor and former SP National Councillor Rudolf Strahm explains the problems with the current legislative proposal. What measures are planned, and how should the new statutory liquidity guarantee of the federal government work with the so-called “Public Liquidity Backstop” (PLB)?

Can China rise peacefully?

Professor Glenn Diesen,* Norway

(13 December 2024) The spectacular rise of China will inevitably spark security competition with the US and create tensions between the two leading economies in the world. The peaceful rise of China is, however, not solely the responsibility of Beijing as the US must also manage the security competition by accommodating shifts in the international distribution of power. The US constructed an international system based on unipolarity/global dominance after the Cold War, and attempting to preserve this system when it no longer reflects realities on the ground will make it near impossible to manage the security competition.

The German government in the network of digital health transformers

Whose interests are served by our health policy?

by Norbert Häring,* Germany

(6 December 2024) (CH-S) How far does the influence of pharmaceutical/IT companies extend into political decisions in the healthcare sector? Norbert Häring traces clandestine conditions in Germany. Is the health of citizens being subordinated to the business of an international health industry? Can conclusions be drawn for Switzerland? The dispute between two IT companies over the equipping of Swiss hospitals with IT software worth hundreds of millions lets us prick our ears and take notice. Are our health insurance contributions and tax millions being spent sensibly, and who is profiting from them? It is worth taking a look at Germany.

“Cooperation and development”

China – Switzerland’s third largest trading partner

Interview with Consul General Chen Yun*

(6 December 2024) (CH-S) “Swiss Standpoint” had the opportunity to ask the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China, Ms Chen Yun, about relations between Switzerland and China. The occasion was an invitation to the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in September.

Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China after its founding and has sought to maintain good relations ever since. The free trade agreement between the two countries, which has been in force since 2014, is a milestone in this regard. Especially in geopolitically challenging times, it is important to maintain a broad network of positive relationships.
Hungary

Kiev turns off the oil tap and Brussels “plays for time”

The EU Commission’s high-handed behaviour

by “Hungary Today”

(16 August 2024) (CH-S) In the Swiss media landscape, you hardly ever hear about the problems that individual European Union (EU) states have with the Brussels headquarters. Not without reason, as dissonance with the EU is currently not opportune in the Swiss mainstream media landscape – while Swiss voters are being forced to swallow even closer ties with the EU.

War and Theft – Take-over of Ukrainian Agricultural Land

by “The Oakland Institute”,* California, USA

(31 May 2024) Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the war in Ukraine has been at the centre of foreign policy and media attention. However, little attention has been paid to a major question at the heart of the conflict: who controls the farmland in the country known as the “breadbasket of Europe”?