Resources

International crises are a stress test for governments, offering opportunities to rally citizens but also risking dissatisfaction with tough policy choices. While trust in government has fluctuated in many European countries during recent times of uncertainty, the Swiss government has benefited from a reservoir of trust providing a buffer against dissatisfaction.

Georgia stands at a crossroads. Once a beacon of democratic reforms in the post-Soviet space, the country has grown increasingly authoritarian under its current government and distanced itself from the West. The parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024 will be a defining moment.

The EU’s embrace of its role as a “geopolitical actor,” and NATO’s renewed focus on deterrence and defense have had a significant impact on their respective approaches to partnerships. Both emphasize their partnerships are tailored, non-legally binding, and mutually beneficial.

Since the “Zeitenwende”, the shape of Switzerland’s neutrality has once again become a controversial subject domestically. The Federal Council has so far seen no need to change course, but will have to brace itself for intense debate in view of the “Neutrality Initiative”. This is also an opportunity to discuss in depth the question of a foreign and security policy that is fit for purpose and that serves Switzerland’s interests.