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Is there an increase in offers for Swiss companies in the US? Or will our exporters be forgotten after the presidency of Donald Trump (74)? Martin Naville (74) points out that no one knows who will be the United States Foreign, Finance and Economic Ministers. If Joe Biden (77) concentrates fully on his own country during the first two years in office, “Switzerland will again be out of focus and it will become a small country in Europe that you don’t know exactly where it is.”
Over the past 15 years, since Naville has been director of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, trade relations between Switzerland and the United States have grown from record to record. “We had a growth in exports to the United States of more than ten percent every year. The United States was the locomotive of our export market. “More recently, more was exported to the United States than to Germany. A decade and a half ago, three times as many exports went to the neighboring country.
“We had very good contact”
“Is it in spite of Trump or because of Trump?” You might ask now. “I don’t know,” Naville says. “We have had very good contact during the last four years. Not necessarily Donald Trump himself, who is very fond of Switzerland. But to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Trade, who enjoyed their visit to Switzerland. “
The uncertainty is now very great. President Biden is not a disaster. It just has a lot of question marks. “
It is unclear what course of economic and fiscal policy Biden is setting and what power he can develop.
Biden wants to invest massively in green energy
However, what is known is that the climate issue is at the top of Biden’s priority list. There has already been talk of two trillion dollars of investment in renewable energy and climate protection in his four-year term.
According to economic expert Naville, this could benefit the electrical industry and companies that are heavily involved in infrastructure. The foreign trade expert lists Swiss tech group ABB and cement giant Lafarge-Holcim. He sees only some risks for Swiss pharmaceutical multinationals like Roche and Novartis, if Biden were to make above-average drug prices in the US a problem on a large scale.
Economic stimulus program could benefit Switzerland
Jürg Marti (57), director of the association of the Swiss mechanical industry, hopes: “If Joe Biden can implement his planned economic stimulus program, the Swiss economy will also benefit. Orders are generated, future-oriented innovations and investments are made possible, and jobs and know-how are secured. “
“Personally, I am satisfied with the outcome of the elections,” Swissmem president Hans Hess (65) tells BLICK. “But I don’t think it’s appropriate for Swissmem to comment on the US elections. We have to accept and respect all the election results. “
Trump’s vote creates good humor in politics
Most Swiss politicians are happy with Biden’s choice. And a little happier that Trump has been ousted from office. SP Co-Chair Mattea Meyer (32) is relieved: “Now things can only go up!” He tells Blick TV.
Trump’s deselection was “a great relief for all of us and especially for those who suffered particularly under fascism: migrants, women *, Muslims,” the SP national adviser, Samira Martí, responded on Twitter (26). During his tenure in office, Trump never wanted to distance himself from racism and right-wing extremists, but generally only added fuel to the fire.
Democracy and the rule of law are now getting stronger in the US, says FDP national adviser Doris Fiala (63). However, Biden has a big task ahead of him: “He has to be the first to give America one.”
Even if Biden has to pay close attention to domestic politics: FDP National Councilor Christa Markwalder (45) is convinced that Switzerland and the United States will continue to have “very good and fruitful” relations.
The federal councilor speaks of a “strong signal”
The field on the green left in particular awaits changes. SP Co-President Meyer and Greens President Balthasar Glättli (48) trust Biden to want to advance climate protection, for example. And when it comes to equality, with Kamala Harris (56) by his side, the first woman to hold the position of vice president.
Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga (60) describes this as “a strong signal” in her official congratulations on Twitter. The SP magistrate is convinced that Switzerland will be able to continue and develop excellent relations with the US under the new administration.
National Councilor Senior Vice President Roger Köppel (55) is upset by such congratulations. For the editor of Weltwoche, this is “a lack of respect to a president in office who has the right to contest the charges.” After all, Trump had previously announced that he would not accept the election and would take legal action.
