Executive Summary
On 27 May 2026, the Federal Council decided to reduce spending on public relations from 2027 to 2029 by approximately 9 million francs. Together with additional measures, total spending compared to 2024 is to be reduced by the 25 million francs demanded by Parliament in December 2025. The workforce will be reduced by over 60 full-time positions. The federal departments and Federal Chancellery spent a total of 105.5 million francs on public relations in 2024. This corresponds to a reduction of more than 20 percent of total expenditure.
Persons
- Federal Chancellery (federal authority; implementation responsibility)
Topics
- Federal finances and cost-saving mandates
- Public relations and communication
- Staff reductions in federal administration
- Parliamentary budget decisions
Clarus Lead
The savings package reflects parliamentary pressure for cost control in federal communications. The reduction to the expenditure level of 2017 signals a reassessment of the state's information mandate – particularly relevant against the backdrop of growing debates about digital presence and citizen participation. The Federal Council simultaneously emphasizes that the savings targets are achievable without jeopardizing the constitutional information mandate, suggesting a strategic realignment.
Detailed Summary
Implementation will occur in several phases. The Federal Council has already cut 6.25 million francs across the board in 2026. For 2027 to 2029, further 7 million francs in savings follow, supplemented by 7 million francs from cost reductions already realized in the federal accounts for 2024–2025 and a linear cut of just under 2 million francs. One essential point: almost half of the documented cost increase between 2017 and 2024 was due to accounting adjustments, not actual additional spending.
The measures package comprises organizational restructuring and centralization of information services. Specifically planned are reductions in web and social media presence. Staff reductions are to occur primarily through natural attrition; however, layoffs are not ruled out. The Federal Council has tasked the Federal Chancellery with revising the guiding principles for "information and communication of the Federal Council and federal administration" by year-end 2026 and sharpening the strategic direction of public relations.
Key Statements
- The Federal Council is reducing public relations by 25 million francs (2024–2029), corresponding to a cut of over 20 percent.
- The savings target is achieved through multiple levers: direct budget cuts, cost reductions from accounting, and organizational measures.
- Over 60 full-time positions will be eliminated; the focus is on natural attrition rather than terminations.
- A redefinition of the information mandate is planned to ensure communication quality despite savings targets.
Critical Questions
Data Quality: To what extent are the cost changes between 2017 and 2024 described as "accounting adjustments" transparently documented, and how do they affect the comparability of savings ratios?
Conflicts of Interest: What criteria determine which web and social media presences are reduced – and who ensures that political priorities do not distort the savings logic?
Implementation Risks: How is it ensured that a staff reduction of over 60 positions does not lead to quality loss in fulfilling the constitutional information mandate?
Causality: Is the reduction to 2017 levels substantively justified, or does it primarily follow Parliament's cost-saving mandate regardless of actual efficiency gains?
Substitution Effects: Are information tasks being shifted to other authorities or external partners, and how are these costs captured in the overall balance?
Monitoring: What indicators does the Federal Council measure to evaluate the impact on citizen participation and transparency?
Sources
Primary Source: Federal Council – Public Relations of the Federal Council and Federal Administration: Implementation of Parliamentary Cost-Saving Mandate – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/z7Xzrku-ZYvEnI9i4VVgD
Verification Status: ✓ 27.05.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 27.05.2026