The SVP leadership repeatedly emphasizes the importance of direct democracy – but more than a third of its own electorate describe themselves as tending to be tired of democracy.Image: keystone
The lack of security checks for managers at state-affiliated companies and the previously unknown investigation at GC women’s football: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
March 29, 2026, 08:18March 29, 2026, 08:18
The federal government “saves” on PR – through different classifications
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, federal spending on public relations has magically fallen by 9.7 million francs. Parliament’s austerity mandate was shattered, at least on paper, as the newspaper wrote. The explanation lies in the imprecise definition of public relations. Each department decides for itself which activities are recorded under this category. In the federal administration, they went over the books exactly what had to be reported to the Federal Finance Administration as public relations work. According to the newspaper, clarifications and delimitations led to all departments except the one for the environment, transport, energy and communications (Uvek) reporting less expenditure than in the previous year.
SBB, Swisscom etc.: Top Swiss managers often do not have security checks
According to information from “NZZ am Sonntag”, the majority of top managers from the state-affiliated companies SBB, Swisscom and Skyguide do not have a valid federal personal security clearance. This is despite the fact that the managers have access to information that is relevant to Switzerland’s security, as the newspaper wrote. She had an internal report from the Defense Department (VBS). While the arms company Ruag completed the audit well, SBB, Swisscom and Skyguide performed poorly, according to the newspaper. In these companies, security declarations were missing from most members of the board of directors and senior management. Apparently it is unclear who has to initiate the personal security check. This question should now be clarified on behalf of the VBS, as the newspaper wrote. The affected companies therefore see their current approach as sufficient.
Sexism at GC: There was misconduct a year ago
According to information from “SonntagsBlick”, GC Women’s Football carried out an external investigation a year ago following allegations of misconduct among young players. As a result, the club parted ways with two employees, as the club’s managing director, Lauryn Reuber, confirmed to the newspaper. According to the newspaper, young players were exposed during training and inappropriate comments were made about their appearance at parents’ evenings and during games. Players, parents and club employees took part in the investigation. They described over a dozen cases, as “SonntagsBlick” wrote with reference to parent groups. The investigation report is not public. Reuber referred to privacy protection and the anonymous reporting center that was subsequently set up. GC Women’s Football takes incidents seriously and takes consistent action when necessary, she said.
Italian ambassador returns to Switzerland
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Italian ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado is returning to Switzerland. He is expected to attend a memorial event for the Crans-Montana fire disaster in Bern on April 1, as the newspaper wrote, citing diplomatic circles. Italy recalled Cornado to Rome at the end of January in protest over the investigation into the fire disaster. His return marks the end of a phase of demonstrative distance, wrote “SonntagsBlick”. According to reports, cooperation between the Roman and Valais public prosecutors is going well. The Italian justice system is satisfied with the exchange.
SVP initiative promotes environmental argument – it doesn’t seem to be of any use
According to the survey results presented in the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the green cover of the SVP initiative “No 10 Million Switzerland” is unlikely to work. 74 percent of respondents for whom preserving the environment is the most important political issue reject the initiative to an above-average extent, as Lukas Lauener from the Social Sciences Competence Center in Lausanne (Fors) told the newspaper. The FORS therefore carried out a Selects survey of eligible voters. “Basically, it can be said that the SVP’s sustainability framing is not at all misleading,” said Lauener. Conversely, people who did not want greater environmental protection would have an above-average amount of support for the proposal. Overall, the numbers would indicate a close outcome of the vote.
Survey: SVP members are more likely to be tired of democracy
While autocratic governments are on the rise around the world, the Pro Futuris think tank of the Swiss Non-Profit Society has investigated, according to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, whether the Swiss are tired of their democracy. What struck her was how many citizens who were tired of democracy identified themselves politically as right-wing, as the newspaper wrote. Among the SVP electorate, the value of 35 percent of “somewhat” and “advanced” people who are tired of democracy is well above average. The study also found a connection between gender and age: older people and women are clearly less tired of democracy. According to the newspaper, what is surprising is that the often complained about political polarization does not necessarily increase democratic fatigue. Because the more emotionally committed you are to political issues, the more important democracy is to you. The study shows that democratic fatigue is linked to a lack of trust in the problem-solving ability of politicians.
In a survey, 94 percent demand more social media protection for children
According to “SonntagsZeitung”, 94 percent of respondents in Switzerland demanded better protection of children and young people from social media in a survey. The representative survey was carried out by the opinion research institute GFS Bern on behalf of the Stiftung Mercator, as the newspaper wrote. 78 percent of the Swiss surveyed also believe that the tech companies have too much influence on the formation of public opinion. Only a fifth of participants rated Big Tech as positive. In contrast to the big tech companies, the federal government enjoys more trust. According to the newspaper, around 1,000 people across Switzerland took part in the survey last December.
ICRC President calls for more commitment from Switzerland to international law
The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has demanded a straightforward commitment to international law from Switzerland. This is the most efficient way for the country to protect the security of its own population, she said in an interview with the “SonntagsZeitung”. It doesn’t work to “muddle through” in today’s world, she said. The world is at a crossroads. That’s why clarity is needed. The ICRC President also demanded this from Switzerland. The Swiss hopes that the country will continue to “stand up straight for international law”.
Baby on cocaine: Partners Group in the sights of the US justice system because of the daycare chain
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, cases of child abuse and neglect at the Kinder-Care daycare chain in the USA have been blamed on the owner, the Swiss Partners Group. In one case, a baby even tested positive for cocaine, the newspaper wrote. When asked, the chain wrote that its mission continues to be a safe learning environment for children. Partners Group wants to cooperate with the authorities. According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, a class action lawsuit against the Kinder-Care management has been in progress since October. In addition to Partners Group, banks such as UBS, which organized the chain’s IPO, are the subject of the lawsuit. The accusation is that the cases were inadequately addressed in the investor information on the IPO.
No more leadership: gossip in the Swiss SME association
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Swiss SME Association has been without leadership since mid-March. The newspaper therefore had correspondence that primarily suggested that promised services had not been fulfilled. Tensions arose for the first time at the end of 2025. According to “SonntagsBlick”, it was about fees, membership fees and sometimes larger loans. The initiator of the club, Fabian Reinarz, announced his resignation at the beginning of March. Shortly afterwards, according to the newspaper, co-president Stephanie Ritschard and other board members also resigned from their positions. Ritschard spoke of “serious ambiguities and contradictions” and Reinarz confirmed internal differences. The club’s coffers are now empty, the newspaper wrote. The financial damage is likely to amount to several hundred thousand francs.
12-year-old Swiss woman wins ultra trail
According to “Le Matin Dimanche”, 12-year-old Marta Bontognali won the “Dernier Survivant” race in Chaumont NE on Saturday. The runner, who was perceived as a trail phenomenon, was not overtaken by a single woman on the demanding course, as the newspaper wrote. Bontognali was noticed in February when she finished the 52-kilometer Black Canyon ultra run in the USA. The girl evoked as much admiration as criticism, the newspaper wrote in a report. The woman from Neuchâtel is supported by an attentive family and cared for by a sports doctor. The parents are more concerned about their daughter being made into a star than her health, which is absolutely not in danger. (sda/con)