Swiss defense minister resigns amid criticism of army

(Bloomberg) — Swiss Defense Minister Viola Emhardt announced her resignation in an unexpected move amid criticism of procurement projects for the country’s military.

Emhard, 62, had been a member of Switzerland’s executive since 2019 and spent all his time leading the defense department. She will step down on March 31, Sarkar said in a post on Twitter on Wednesday.

The announcement follows criticism from lawmakers, who listed seven military projects in a letter earlier this month in which they identified major problems, some of which existed before he was in office. These also include reconnaissance drones which were ordered in 2015 and which are still not fit for use. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party called for his resignation.

Nevertheless, Emherd could have remained in her post, according to political analyst Michael Herrmann, who said she was stepping down on her own terms.

“I believe her plan was to resign now,” he told Bloomberg. “She was tired of the office.”

Emhard’s problems in office are due to the checkered history of defense procurement in Switzerland. While at the helm of the department, he significantly increased the army’s budget. He presented a package to parliament that estimates spending 25.8 billion Swiss francs ($28.3 billion) from this year to 2028, about half of which will be spent on arms and investment.

Addressing journalists in Bern, Emhardt said she considered “increasing polarization, xenophobia in political discourse and the growing assertiveness of special interests” to be increasingly problematic for “the preservation of our democratic system and Swiss values.”

He did not give other reasons for his departure, saying only that after 30 years of political work, “the time has come to hand over command.”

A politician from the Christian-Democratic Center Alliance, she also held the post of president of the country last year, a role that rotates annually among seven ministers.

During his presidency, Emhard also led Switzerland’s negotiations with the European Union on the improvement of bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to a settlement in December. Swiss voters must still give their blessing to the deal in a referendum.

Parliament is expected to elect Emhardt’s successor as minister in mid-March, who will take up office in April. It is not necessary that he will handle the Defense Department, because it is also possible that the minister may keep changing jobs.

(Updated with full details)

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