National Conference on Federalism

The 6th National Conference on Federalism meets in Basel, amid controversy over the respective roles of the Confederation and the cantons in the pandemic. Alain Berset draws a first institutional assessment.

He answers the headlines announcing a crisis of federalism with history, and with Napoleon: “Ich wäre ausserstande, die Schweiz zu regieren.” The system was put under strain, and it held; lessons must be learned without calling it into question. His formula: “Die Schweiz ist föderalistisch – oder sie ist nicht.”

Speeches on this site

• « Le fédéralisme et la dynamique de la crise du COVID-19 » (French-language page)

Sources

• Federal Council, speech of 27.05.2021