X is no longer a normal social-media platform, said Cédric Wermuth, co-president of the Swiss Socialist Party, reported RTS. The party says it will submit a parliamentary motion on the subject unless the federal government and parliament withdraw from the platform.
Mr Wermuth argues that conditions on X have deteriorated sharply in recent months. He describes it as a breeding ground for far-right extremism, where hate speech and public humiliation are routine and paedophilia is trivialised. Remaining active on the platform, he says, amounts to complicity. The party’s conclusion is blunt: the Swiss government should leave the platform.
The federal government currently maintains an official account on X, while several ministers use the platform in a personal capacity, including Guy Parmelin, the country’s current president. Federal departments and agencies also use it to disseminate information.
The proposal is also supported by the Green Party. Gerhard Andrey, a Green MP, calls X an obscene channel unworthy of the Swiss government and urges tighter regulation of digital platforms, particularly to protect young people.
Centre-right parties don’t agree. The PLR/FDP says political parties should not dictate which platforms the federal government uses. Its co-president, Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher, argues that such decisions rest with the Federal Council, Switzerland’s seven-member executive. The Centre Party takes a similar view. Its president, Philipp Brägy, warns that withdrawing would amount to abandoning public debate. Simply leaving this forum would be a mistake, he told the broadcaster.
Mr Wermuth dismisses concerns about losing a communication channel. Staying on X, he says, risks undermining the country’s credibility. If the government does not distance itself from the platform, the Socialists say they will proceed with a parliamentary motion.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
