Metadata
Language: German
Transcript ID: 29
Filename: 2278160-m-12d47bf5637cb1f63ff418631927c0ee.mp3
Original URL: https://clarus.news/audio/29
Creation Date: 26.12.2025
Text Length: 26,738 characters
People
Organizations
Topics
- Nuclear weapons and Swiss security policy
- Military financing and defense spending
- Corporate responsibility and climate litigation
- Gender Studies and cultural practices
- EU sanctions and rule of law
- Media landscape and end of 20 Minuten print
Summary
The podcast "Bern Simply" from December 23, 2025 addresses central political and social issues in Switzerland. Markus Somm and Dominik Feusel discuss a left-green popular initiative against nuclear weapons, but surprisingly propose that Switzerland itself should develop nuclear weapons to save defense costs. Furthermore, financing proposals by FDP Council of States member Josef Tittli for the military are discussed – particularly the sale of Swisscom shares and the temporary diversion of Swiss National Bank profits. Also criticized is the lawsuit against Holcim by Indonesian fishermen as well as questionable academic positions on female genital mutilation. A particular concern is the EU sanctioning of Swiss citizen Jacques Baud without legal process and the insufficient response from Justice Minister Beat Jans. Finally, the end of the print edition of "20 Minuten" is discussed as a significant media policy development.
Detailed Summary
Nuclear Weapons and Swiss Security Policy
The moderators discuss a popular initiative by left-green politicians demanding Switzerland's accession to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. They characterize this initiative as historically obsolete, since Switzerland has not developed nuclear weapons and there is no threat of weapon deployment. Paradoxically, the hosts argue that Switzerland should itself possess a modest nuclear arsenal for efficiency reasons – as a cost-effective deterrent mechanism instead of expensive conventional armament. They point to the "peace dividend" of the last 80 years, made possible through nuclear deterrence.
Military Financing – Swisscom and Swiss National Bank
Josef Tittli, FDP Council of States member from Canton Uri, proposes two concrete financing sources for military rearmament:
Sale of Swisscom shares: The federal government holds 51% of Swisscom shares. A sale could generate approximately 5 billion Swiss francs. The moderators see this as an intelligent proposal for privatizing a state enterprise without strategic significance.
Diversion of Swiss National Bank profits: A ten-year diversion of Swiss National Bank distributions to military equipment could provide an additional 5 billion. This would also increase pressure on the cantons to discipline their spending.
The moderators criticize that the cantons have become accustomed to regular Swiss National Bank profits while making little effort to save. They argue for these financing mechanisms as an alternative to value-added tax increases.
Holcim Lawsuit and Climate Responsibility
The Zug cantonal court allows a lawsuit by four Indonesian fishermen against cement company Holcim to proceed. The plaintiffs demand damages because Holcim is among the world's 50 largest CO₂ emitters and is allegedly responsible for coastal erosion on Pari Island.
The moderators criticize this ruling sharply as:
- Legally questionable (proof of causality between Holcim emissions and local coastal damage)
- Politically problematic (shifting climate policy into courts instead of democratic processes)
- A scandal of cantonal judges from the headquarters canton of Zug
- A preview of the impacts of an accepted Corporate Responsibility Initiative
They also point out the role of Swiss NGOs that organize and finance this lawsuit – partly with funds from the tax-exempt "Relief Organization of the Protestant Church" (HEX).
Gender Studies and Female Genital Mutilation
Twenty-five researchers – including two Swiss academics from the University of Lausanne – have argued in the renowned British Medical Journal that criticism of female genital mutilation (FGM) is racist and stigmatizing. They compare FGM with Western cosmetic genital operations and see them as cultural equivalents.
The moderators call this unacceptable and condemn:
- The relativistic equation of FGM with cosmetic procedures
- Taxpayer funding for ideologically distorted research
- Cultural relativism as a form of left-wing anti-Westernism
- The lack of critical stance toward reactionary practices on grounds of anti-colonialism
They call for more critical examination of research funding by the Swiss National Science Foundation and argue for distinguishing between basic research (legitimate) and ideologically driven social research (illegitimate).
Jacques Baud and EU Sanctions
Former Swiss Colonel Jacques Baud was placed on the EU sanctions list without proceedings and without legal process – via email – allegedly for pro-Russian propaganda. The moderators criticize:
- EU as a questionable rule of law state: The European Union violates fundamental legal principles (audi alteram partem principle, right to be heard, due process)
- Violation of freedom of speech: Baud could not defend himself
- Hypocritical EU policy: While the EU indignantly rejects accusations of censorship (e.g., from J.D. Vance), it places citizens on sanctions lists without proceedings
- Insufficient Swiss response: Justice Minister Beat Jans laughed off the question instead of advocating for the fundamental rights of a Swiss citizen
- Double standards: While pro-Russian statements are sanctioned, pro-Palestinian or Hamas-adjacent propaganda remains acceptable in many places
The moderators see this as evidence of the increasingly authoritarian nature of the EU.
20 Minuten – End of a Media Era
The daily newspaper 20 Minuten will end its print edition on January 1, 2026 – after 26 years. The moderators recognize its historical significance:
- Revolutionary business idea (1999): Free newspaper financed through advertising instead of subscriptions – revolutionary for its time
- Quality features: Non-ideological, balanced, objective reporting focused on facts rather than commentary
- Cultural significance: 20 Minuten offered middle-class readers a counterweight to left-leaning ideological media
- Journalistic standards: The publication conveyed sound journalism without ideological distortion
The online presence (20minuten.ch) will continue, but the print edition – symbol of a media era – disappears. This reflects profound media change: paper loses to digital channels, print advertising to online advertising.
Key Messages
Nuclear weapons policy is not rationally ideological: The initiative against nuclear weapons ignores that Switzerland faces no threat from nuclear weapons, and the moderators argue counter-intuitively that a Swiss nuclear arsenal would be more cost-effective than conventional armament.
Military financing possible without tax increases: Sale of Swisscom shares and temporary diversion of Swiss National Bank profits could provide 10 billion for defense – an intelligently structured alternative to tax increases.
Judiciary illegitimately replaces democracy: The Holcim lawsuit shows a dangerous trend of making climate policy through courts instead of parliaments – with questionable legal foundations.
Academic ideology is financed with taxpayer money: Swiss universities employ researchers who relativize cultural practices like female genital mutilation – paid by taxpayers, without critical oversight.
EU violates rule of law: The sanctioning of Jacques Baud without proceedings contradicts the EU's self-portrayal as a rule-of-law state and is scandalously ignored by Swiss Justice Minister Jans.
Media diversity shrinks: The end of 20 Minuten print means the loss of an important non-ideological news source that provided broad segments of the population access to factual reporting.
Podcast success: Bern Simply reaches over 500,000 downloads monthly – proof of significant audience interest in critically independent media offerings beyond the mainstream.