Walter Thurnherr: «Geopolitical developments are not meteorological phenomena.»

It was one of those rare evenings when politics, media, and culture not only coexist but also resonate with each other. Ringier CEO Marc Walder opened the reading, and the intimate guest list ranged from well-known figures in politics, business, and sports to media personalities.

Walter Thurnherr—eight years as Federal Chancellor, previously a diplomat, Secretary General in several departments, and author—read from his new book, published by Kein & Aber Verlag. In light of current events, he chose the introduction to the chapter on foreign policy. The text is historically grounded, analytically clear, and literarily polished. The reading was followed by an in-depth discussion with Reza Rafi, editor-in-chief of Sunday glance.

«All in all, it seemed as if official Switzerland had taken a break.»

Right at the start of his reading, Thurnherr took his audience back to 1998 – a Switzerland in celebration mode, self-confident, proud, focused on historic anniversaries. He read about the self-confidence of the time and the subsequent upheavals: from the comparison of Swiss banks with the World Jewish Restitution Organization to the grounded Swissair planes, from 9/11 to the mass killing of 1.5 million chickens in Hong Kong. This formed the basis for the author's central thesis: turning points are not the exception, but the norm.

In his book, Thurnherr formulates it as precisely as one would otherwise only expect from political analyses:

«However, geopolitical developments are not meteorological phenomena. They have human causes and announce themselves in advance.»

An author with an eye for mechanisms—and for language

What became immediately apparent that evening was that Thurnherr is a political author with literary precision. His language is clear, occasionally ironic, and always subtly structured. The former chancellor knows not only the «what» but also the «how» of political decision-making.

Humor and sharpness are part of his style—for example, when he talks about neutrality policy riding metaphors:

«In foreign policy, it's even more complicated. Many people are riding the wrong way, but deliberately so.»

Inside views from the engine room of Swiss politics

The subsequent discussion with Reza Rafi gave the audience an even deeper insight into Thurnherr's wealth of experience.

He described the famous co-reporting procedure as an «ingenious procedure» based on collective intelligence:

«Seven people make better decisions than one.»

He explained how the Federal Council functions in crises—and where its weaknesses lie: in forward thinking. His credo:

«Looking ahead, there is room for improvement.»

And he explained how much media reality has changed—from Chernobyl to Fukushima:

«Expectations regarding the Federal Council's public relations work have changed fundamentally.»

This is particularly sensitive and exciting for the media and communications industry: media appearances, language regulations, and press releases are no longer merely instruments of enforcement for external communication, but an integral part of government activity. They are prepared, coordinated, and, as Thurnherr describes, explicitly considered in Federal Council meetings. Whereas after Chernobyl the Federal Council was still discussing whether it should say anything at all, in the age of Fukushima and live ticker press conferences, communication measures are effectively running in crisis mode.

A subway moment in Trump Tower – and a sentence that explains Switzerland

It is also remarkable what a spontaneous short interview can reveal. m&k conducted a thought experiment:

How would he explain to Donald Trump—during a chance elevator ride in Trump Tower—how Switzerland is governed?

His answer came without hesitation, dry, precise, and almost literary in its conciseness:

«Switzerland consults on every decision 100 times, involves everyone, and filters out the most serious mistakes. It's a very good mechanism.»

A sentence like a distillate – and an ideal counterpart to the political physicality of the current US president. The brief exchange led directly to the question about the book title – and its decisive «nevertheless»:

Why „nevertheless“?

Thurnherr explained that although Switzerland formally has a government with comparatively little legal power—parliament dominates, federalism branches out the powers—the Federal Council has enormous political influence. The government is always involved in all decisions, and it is precisely this collective thinking that makes the system so stable.

When asked for an elevator pitch for his book, Thurnherr said:

«This is the best book about the Swiss government.»

A statement that came with a smile—and at the same time with a grain of truth: hardly anyone knows the engine room of power as well as he does. This also made it clear how Thurnherr understands his work: as a precise and at the same time human approach to a political system that functions through consultation, pragmatism, and resistance to error – especially in times when global politics operates at the speed of tweets, reels, shorts, breaks, and whims.

When things get dicey, characters reveal themselves.

One of the most powerful moments of the talk was Thurnherr's description of the dynamics within the Federal Council:

«When things get dicey, people's true characters simply reveal themselves.»

He spoke about isolated department heads, influential figures, resignations due to loneliness, but also about humor in the committee:

«Of course, I laughed a lot with Doris Leuthard. Life is too short to always be serious.»

Skepticism, clarity, and quiet consolation

Thurnherr's book—and this evening—have something reassuring about them, without ever trivializing the issues. He shows that crises are part of the system and that, despite all its complexity, politics can work when it matters:

«The teamwork during the crisis is actually working surprisingly well.»

At the same time, he reminds us how important humility remains in judgment:

«One should be very careful with the verdict.»

Conclusion: A book that reveals the mechanics of power

Walter Thurnherr has written a work that goes far beyond political memoir. It is analysis, historical overview, classification – and an insight into thought processes that are otherwise only experienced behind closed doors. The Ringier reading showed how accessible, precise, and at times humorous he can be in unraveling complex political mechanisms. A literary glimpse into the engine room of Switzerland – with the knowledge and doubts of a man who is one of the best observers of this system.