The race to replace Guy Parmelin in the Federal Council is already dividing Switzerland's largest party
At their delegate assembly in Bulle on Saturday, UDC members openly backed Geneva's Céline Amaudruz, but two Upper Valais rivals — National Councillor Michael Graber and State Councillor Franz Ruppen — are now also considering bids.
Some delegates fear the Upper Valais candidates could satisfy the party's call for French-speaking representation while quietly blocking Amaudruz's path.
Switzerland slips in ranking
Switzerland has slipped to third place in the IMD's annual global competitiveness ranking, and the Lausanne-based business school's president is warning against complacency
Doctor shortage worsening
Switzerland is facing a serious doctor shortage, yet universities are still turning away hundreds of medical students each year
Weekend earthquake felt by many
A magnitude-four earthquake has shaken the canton of Glarus, with the tremor felt right across Switzerland
New free trade deal
Swiss President Guy Parmelin has signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam in Hanoi, alongside his EFTA counterparts from Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein
Universities predicted to continue growth
Switzerland's universities will grow by more than a fifth over the next decade, driven in large part by foreign students, according to new federal projections
Drought conditions still affecting Vaud
Several Vaud communes are still rationing water weeks into autumn, with sources running dry and reservoirs refusing to refill
