Federal Councillor cleared of wrong doing

Alain Berset - WEF

Separate independent investigations have cleared the Federal Councillor Alain Berset of any wrong doing over an attempted blackmail by a former lover.

There were two separate inquiries – by each House of Parliament. 

They both concluded it was proper to involve the Federal Council’s staff when Berset’s former girlfriend demanded CHF 100,000.

They also determined the federal prosecutor’s office did not give Berset preferential treatment.

And despite press reports to the contrary, he was entitled to use the official limousine to return home after a weekend with his then girlfriend in Germany. 

The woman was threatening to release intimate pictures and correspondence if she didn’t receive the money. 

More from Bitesize News

  • Geneva could foot the G7 bill

    Geneva fears it will be left with the security bill from a G7 summit just across the border in Évian, according to 24 heures.

  • US NGO discovers Swiss child abuse cases

    Switzerland relies too heavily on an American NGO to detect child sexual abuse online, raising questions about the country's ability to protect children on its own.

  • French singer banned by Paleo

    The Paléo Festival in Nyon says it will no longer invite French singer Patrick Bruel, after a former volunteer accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

  • Cars going uninspected

    The cantons are struggling to keep up with mandatory vehicle inspections, leaving more than 550,000 checks overdue nationwide.

  • War may lead to rent rises

    Rents may rise again, says the bank Raiffeisen.

  • Not a heatwave, yet

    Summer has arrived, with temperatures climbing past 30 over the long weekend. Basel reached 31 and Sion hit 32.4, but MeteoSwiss, says this does not yet count as an official heatwave.

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play