Switzerland
August 1: NZZ explores Swiss history with six intellectuals
On July 31, 2026, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) publishes an article featuring six intellectuals exploring Swiss history on the occasion of August 1st. The piece invites these thinkers to reflect on the Switzerland they would prefer to live in. The text begins from a profound dissatisfaction with contemporary Switzerland and questions whether history can serve as inspiration for the country's future. The article describes Switzerland as 'a country that defies all probability' and emphasizes that its future lies in the hands of its citizens. Swiss direct democracy is portrayed as more resilient than even its most ardent defenders believe.