ETH Workshop: The State of Global Politics: Challenges for Switzerland, 18 March 2011, ETH Zurich

With reference to the CSS publication Strategic Trends 2011, this ETH Workshop discussed key topics in Swiss foreign and security policy. The event was also designed to foster the exchange of ideas and networking between key representatives of politics, the public administration, academia, professional societies, and the media.

Initially, the CSS presented a brief assessment of the state of global politics. In the following panels, two particularly relevant current developments for Swiss foreign and security policy were taken up and debated. The first panel concentrated on the interests and foreign-policy priorities of Switzerland in an international environment marked by power shifts and debt crises. In the second panel, which dealt with the topic of «Terrorism: Threat and Defensive Measures», the following questions were debated: What is the current threat level in Europe? Is the threat for neutral Switzerland greater than for Germany, for example? Does Switzerland have adequate counterterrorism means? Which measures should be taken?

Compared to previous ETH Workshops, the format of the event was larger (75 instead of 30–40 participants), longer in duration (half a day instead of day-long), and generated more publicity (media coverage).