Little Switzerland was too low to defend itself against the United States, estimates the Swiss press after the announcement of the taxation of customs duties of 39%. Many titles highlight the need for rapprochement with the European Union.
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“The image is that of a big tomcat who caught a little mouse,” write 24 hours and the tribune of Geneva. For them, Switzerland must open their eyes and realize two things: that we no longer deal with the United States as with a reliable partner and then that the strategy of going alone in combat was a mistake and that it would have been necessary to bet on an alliance. The European Union, it has come out with an increase limited to 15%, recall the newspapers.
Time title for its part on the “the sin of trust” of Switzerland. His small size offered him little pressure means, unlike those that have mobilized China or the EU. The Confederation is isolated politically and with few levers to activate, adds the daily.
According to him, the arguments in favor of a possible agreement are “completely true and rational”. But the idea that Switzerland would have a privileged relationship with the United States is a chimera. Donald Trump has shown several times that he did not hesitate to attack the historical allies of his country and that rationality and good will have little importance in these discussions.
“Ridiculized”
The smallness of our country on the international level has very clearly played against it, write the Nouvelliste, Arcinfo and the coast, for whom the federal consel “is ridiculed in recent months of negotiations”.
In a world where the rules of free trade are shattered and where the great powers make their law, making a rider alone is no longer an option. You have to be able to count on a strong ally, on which we know how to be able to rely permanently. This ally already exists: it is the EU. Getting closer to it without integrating it must remain a priority for the government, say the three titles of the ESH group.
Find allies
Speaking of “fiasco”, the German newspapers of the Tamedia group also believe that time has come to abandon the idea of a particular relationship with Washington. Donald Trump wants to put Switzerland under pressure and take advantage of it.
Switzerland, staged as a special case, is alone. If a superpower raises chaos in principle, a small country does not have much room for maneuver: it must manage as best they can with the “Washington arbitrary machine”. And turn to more reliable partners, first in Brussels.
“We will have to remember this report of forces (…) when we have to vote on our future relations with the EU”, abound 24 hours and the Tribune de Genève. “Because even if everything is not rosy with Brussels, she never ridiculed us to this point”.
“Marignan”
The German -style blick title for his part on “the biggest defeat since Marignan”. Switzerland needs unity at the political level and reliable partners. It is necessary to tighten the ranks, failing which the splendid years will be gone. The right must resign itself to the rapprochement with the EU and the left must stop fighting the free trade agreements.
The Watson portal notes that the pressure increases on Switzerland. The world according to Trump highlights the Swiss success model although the Federal Council has done everything to soften the tenant of the White House. The model consisting in arranging in one way or another with everyone still works but it has lead in the wing.
After the first interview between the president of the Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter and Donald Trump, one could have the impression that Switzerland was “small but influential”, writes Luzerner Zeitung. Today, the American president shows the importance of a world governed by rules, such as those that the Federal Council has negotiated with the European Union.
