Amherd against the wind

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Viola Amherd (60) sets her own priorities – and shakes up her defense department. The military should not only become more feminine and environmentally friendly. Her latest coup: almost single-handedly, the Central Federal Council turns Swiss security policy upside down. She wants to join forces with a new state secretariat, she announced at the end of April.

This is not only well received in parliamentary and military circles. For Stefan Holenstein (61), president of the Association of Military Companies, Amherd unfortunately sets the priorities: First, a clear concept is needed for a credible national defense. However, with the new State Secretariat “the position of the army is further weakened and the administration is blown up”.

The overall strategy is still missing

SP alderman Sarah Wyss (34) has very different problems with the new State Secretariat. She has no objections in terms of content. However, she considers it doubtful that the Bundesrat will not create a new federal office without first consulting Parliament.

This is also bad for the SVP. She accuses Amherd of a “hidden agenda”: instead of strengthening the defense capabilities of the Swiss army, she wants to “trim it for NATO readiness”. In this way, the security of the Swiss population is weakened instead of strengthened.

A long-simmering dispute openly breaks out

The accusation of a lack of strategy also emerges in the tank debate. While Amherd and top army officials openly mothball “Leos” to Berlin, officers vehemently resisted. SVP State Councilor Werner Salzmann (60), chairman of the Security Commission, wants nothing to do with it “until the defense doctrine of the army is redefined”. The long-simmering dispute over the direction of the army has erupted openly.

Otherwise, numerous military and DDPS construction sites would be recognized in parliament, where the need for action would be great. Tenders regularly lead to additional costs of millions and sometimes to several years of delay.

“We keep hearing reasons why it didn’t work out,” says SVP National Council member Mauro Tuena (51). The chairman of the Security Committee of the National Council thinks: “The problems have been known for years, but are not being solved.”

But that also means: Amherd has already inherited many problems from its predecessors.

“Amherd prefers to solve other matters”

In addition, the army has been warning for years that it is running out of soldiers. Here, too, solutions would be on the back burner. “Amherd prefers to be involved in issues such as the advancement of women, which she is committed to,” security politicians complain. “That sounds good, but it doesn’t solve the problems in the army.” Amherd also failed miserably with its demand for women’s quotas in sports clubs.

The pressure on the army budget is also causing problems. Or the news service based in the DDPS, which attracts attention time and time again with illegal snooping and archiving. Now it is being restructured under the new director Christian Dussey (58). All executives must reapply for their position – anything but a vote of confidence.

Another example: Only recently did security gaps in the military become known. The former Swiss Air Force security chief was seen as at risk due to high debts and the resulting risk of bribery. Yet he was not forced to resign his post until months later.

“Can’t keep everything hidden anymore”

Green National Councilor Marionna Schlatter (42) was recently quoted saying “for 20 minutes” that the DDPS had “closed its ranks” until the fighter jet vote. No criticism came out through this “concrete wall”. “Now that this has been broken open, everything can no longer be kept secret,” the security politician explains the public quarrels.

For Salzmann, however, there are also home-grown problems that lead to unrest in the army. There is still no doctrine on how we want to defend our country in the future. “People are thinking aloud about the course of tanks, although it is not yet clear whether they will still be needed,” said the SVP Council of States. “That is illogical and leads to uncertainty.”

‘Amherd should not be surprised’

Amherd’s new course is encountering increasing resistance. Old construction sites are not resolved, important projects are delayed and new projects are not always understood. “There is the impression that there is also internal disagreement. And conflicting signals are being sent to the outside world,” said Parliament. “Amherd should not be surprised if resistance arises.”

Source:Blick