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The National Council adopted the Army Message 2020 on Wednesday, also approving the payment framework for the next four years. The army budget now increases by 1.4 percent annually. In the first phase, it is used primarily to finance a new fighter plane.
The debate in the National Council was once again a display of opponents and supporters of new combat aircraft.
The world has become more unpredictable in recent years. Events and crises are pursued. New threats keep popping up. The terrorists of the so-called Islamic State established their own state for a time. Bitter poverty and wars drive people to flee. The coronavirus continues to spread in a pandemic way, and the task of the century to combat climate change comes with conflicts between the great powers, which have long threatened Europe not only on its margins.
Debate under the sign of the jet fighter
For this reason, the National Council argued this Wednesday in its debate on the Army Message 2020, especially on threats and risks. The SP and the Greens criticize that the Federal Council is assuming a completely outdated image of conflict. “The globalized dangers of the 21st century cannot be stopped with tanks and cannons on the national border,” said Social Democratic security politician Priska Seiler Graf in the hallway. He underlined once again the no-left to the new fighter.
Of course, the military constantly adjusts its capabilities to threats and dangers, Federal Councilor Viola Amherd, head of the Defense Department, responded to criticism from the left: “We always wonder what capabilities we still need and with what systems we can cover them. . The army must be able to deal with a wide range of threats. In order to comply with the constitutional mandate, that is, national defense and prevention of war, they need the necessary equipment.
The Army Message 2020 and associated templates are the starting point for a fundamental makeover of the Army. In addition to the defense of the airspace with the fighter plane, it is also about replenishing the resources of the ground forces, which will also reach the end of their lives in the coming years. The Federal Council intends to spend a total of CHF 15 billion over the next ten years in the regular budget.
Financial politicians don’t want to reverse planning
Over the weekend, people will vote on whether 6 billion Swiss francs will be set aside for a new fighter jet. In order to manage the investments, the Federal Council wants to increase the army’s budget by 1.4 percent per year starting in 2021.
In the 2020 armaments program, the focus is on leadership skills and mobility on the ground for future threats. The Federal Council wants to modernize telecommunications and replace the Florako aerial surveillance system. In addition, 2000 infantry fighting vehicles will be ready for use by 2040. They offer protection and mobility to ground troops even in conflict and dangerous situations below the threshold of war. The Federal Council wants to spend 438 million francs on this.
Finance was the second focus of the debate. The finance commission also examined the army bill in light of the crisis in the crown. Spending goes up, income goes down. Most financial politicians, however, reject cuts in the current military budget. Now they are against reversing the plans. “If an austerity program were necessary in the next few years because of Corona, the army would also have to make its contribution,” said Alois Gmür, national councilor for the Schwyz CVP.
New risks as potential drivers of conflict
The SP and the Greens already wanted to set their priorities differently and resisted the payment framework for the next four years. This amounts to 21.1 billion by 2023. This also includes the first budget increases to finance the new fighter jet. VBS chief Amherd responded that the military’s share of total federal spending has fallen from 18 percent to 7 percent since 1990. Now you need to catch up.
Like the Council of States, which approved the bill unanimously, the National Council also followed the Federal Council by majority. Shortly before the vote, the fighter jet proposal will again receive the support of parliament. Proponents stick together in principle. But it depends on mobilization and discussion until the end. Because the SP and the Greens suggest a completely different picture of threats and possible responses to them.
Wednesday’s debate clearly showed that the Social Democratic security politicians in particular have in mind a light army in the style of the Austrian armed forces. In doing so, they ignore the widely held view that new risks such as pandemics, power outages or social injustice could be drivers of conflict, or that cyberspace dangers are closely related to defense on the ground and in the air.
