The recent Swiss vote on banning minarets has caused more consternation outside of Switzerland than most Swiss would care to admit. While there have been endless debates about the role of direct democracy and the limits of popular sovereignty, not enough attention has focused on the perception of Switzerland from outside except for crass calculations of potential financial losses and Oskar Freysinger on Al Jazeera.
A New York Times editorial began with the one word sentence “Disgraceful”. The Financial Times highlighted the tarnishing of Switzerland’s reputation, something much deeper than image or that which can be polished by public relations firms. Indeed, the moral authority of a country that prides itself on its tolerance through multiculturalism, third party arbitration and the rule of law, has taken an enormous hit. But, the minaret issue is not an isolated phenomenon; the last ten years have seen the scandal of Nazi gold, Swissair’s decline, UBS’ implosion and the lifting of the veil of banking secrecy, the Libya fiasco and the Polanski arrest. Yes, they are not all similar. But in terms of image and reputation, they have a great deal in common.
Perhaps the nadir of this tarnishing was the Jon Stewart Comedy Central broadcast of December 3, 2009. The show is immensely popular in the United States for its political satire. This particular airing began with a devastating review of the advertisements and public comments by those in favor of the minaret ban. Intermingled with the current controversy were analogies to Hitler and Switzerland’s actions during World War II. But then it got even worse. Reporter Jon Oliver did an interview with the Swiss Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Peter Mauer, one of the most respected Swiss representatives. Oliver made fun of neutrality, pushing Mauer to take sides on a number of issues. With references to Hitler and the Swiss position during World War II, Oliver left the speechless Ambassador with little room to explain the subtleties of legal neutrality for a small country surrounded by large neighbors. Perhaps the Ambassador should have declined the invitation, for what remains from the broadcast is the impression of a hypocritical country that prides itself on a superficial public morality that hides its true nature - somewhat similar to a sovereign Tiger Woods.
Image and reputation are not exactly the same. But, both the image and reputation of Switzerland have been constructed over centuries. Those concerned with the last ten years have their work cut out for them to deal with their reconstruction. Freysinger is having his 15 minutes of glory, totally unaware of what he has started and the ugliness it has unleashed for those who care about Switzerland and what it has stands for.
