State visit to Switzerland

Topic: Report

25 March 2018

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender visited Switzerland from 25 to 26 April 2018. In Berne, the Federal President first of all held political talks with the Swiss Federal President Alain Berset and members of the Federal Council. On the second day, the Federal President held a speech at the University of Fribourg and discussed the future of democracy with the Swiss Federal President. The trip ended with a visit to the grave of Thomas Mann.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is welcomed with military honours at the Minster Square in Berne on the occasion of his state visit to Switzerland

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Büdenbender paid a state visit to the Swiss Confederation from 25 to 26 April 2018.

The Federal President first of all held political talks with, among others, the Swiss Federal President Alain Berset and members of the Federal Council. Federal President Steinmeier also addressed the Federal Council.

The second day of the state visit largely took place in the canton of Fribourg, the home of the Swiss Federal President. The Federal President held a speech at the University of Fribourg and discussed the future of democracy with the Swiss Federal President and other members of the panel. In the further course of the visit, the issue of climate change was to the fore. The trip ended with a visit to the grave of Thomas Mann.

Overview of the programme:

Wednesday, 25 April

  • Morning
    Flight to Zurich
  • Lunchtime
    Arrival at Zurich airport and welcome by Mr Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, and Mrs Muriel Zeender Berset
  • Travel together on a special train to Kehrsatz in the canton of Berne
  • Kehrsatz
    Welcome by the mayor of Kehrsatz and music performed by a school choir
  • Berne, Minster Square
    Reception by the entire Federal Council and welcome with military honours
  • Parliament
    Address by the Federal President to the Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation
  • Bernerhof
    Talks with the Federal President of the Swiss Confederation and a delegation of the Federal Council as well as other senior representatives of the Confederation
  • Press centre
    Joint press conference
  • Bernerhof
    Dinner hosted by the Federal Council

Thursday, 26 April

  • University of Fribourg
    Speech by the Federal President and participation in a panel discussion on Can democracy survive in the 21st century? The most inclusive of all systems of government under internal and external pressure.
  • Tour of the Neighbour Hub project in the smart living lab BlueFactory, accompanied by Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard as well as the President of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, the Rector of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland and the group leader of the project
  • St Nicholas Cathedral
    Guided tour of the choir windows and short organ recital
  • Flight to Kilchberg over the Aletsch Glacier with a briefing by the director of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Kilchberg
    Visit to the grave of the Mann family
    thereafter
    Flight to Zurich
  • Zurich airport
    Farewell by the Federal President of the Swiss Confederation and Mrs Muriel Zeender Berset
    thereafter
    Flight to Berlin
  • Evening
    Arrival in Berlin