‘Switzerland is a rock in turbulent waters’

Switzerland is more successful than countries that practise censorship because its citizens can have their say and criticise the government, says Doris Leuthard, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year. In an interview with swissinfo.ch, Leuthard adds that governments shouldn’t fear members of the public, but should inform and persuade them. swissinfo.ch: This is your second time as president, having previously held the largely ceremonial role in 2010. Is the world today better or worse than seven years ago? Doris Leuthard: At the moment I have the feeling that there are more issues that have got worse. Globally there are more conflicts and more people fleeing than ever before. One thing that’s better is that more people have been lifted out of poverty. swissinfo.ch: What else has got worse apart from the refugee situation? D.L.: Our relationship with the European Union is more tense. Europe has problems that are having an impact on our bilateral relations.