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REVEALED: Four things to know about the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock

The eyes of the world will be turned towards Bürgenstock, a cliffside resort overlooking Lake Lucerne, when Switzerland hosts a peace summit there on Saturday and Sunday.

Published: 13 June 2024 14:59 CEST
REVEALED: Four things to know about the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock
An aerial picture shows the Bürgenstock resort above Lake Lucerne. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

Switzerland will stage a conference on Ukraine on June 15th and 16th, with world leaders set to discuss how to reach an eventual peace process in the war-torn country.

About 90 government heads and other top officials from around the world  (but not from Russia, which is not only ignoring the summit, but is actually trying to disrupt it via cyberattacks), will convene in Bürgenstock, scenically located a mountain ridge in canton Nidwalden.

While in the past Bürgenstock has remained mostly out of the news, it is now taking centre stage.

If you are not familiar with this luxury resort (like most non-millionnaires), here are some essential things to know.

Location

Bürgenstock, which first open to (well-heeled) public in the 19th century, sits on the mountain of the same name, at 600 metres over Lake Lucerne, known locally as Vierwaldstättersee.

It is part of two Nidwalden municipalities: Ennetbürgen and Stansstad.  

Layout

The five-star resort comprises 30 buildings, including four hotels with 348 rooms and suites, as well as a number of sports facilities and, more pertinent to the summit, conference rooms.

Per-night rates for a ‘superior’ room start at 1,100 francs, though Swiss government will likely foot the bill for the conference attendees.

Famous guests

Over the years, a number of celebrities stayed at the Bürgenstock.

Among them were Audrey Hepburn (who married her first husband, actor Mel Ferrer, there in 1954), Charlie Chaplin, Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, and Sean Connery.

(There is no record of the latter performing any James Bond-like stunts over the cliff though).

How will the summit participants get to the resort?

The hotels’ website indicates that guests can arrive by boat & funicular, by car, public transport, or private plane.

As far as dignitaries attending the conference are concerned, we can safely eliminate public transport, and boat & funicular as well.

Private planes remain a reasonable option, along with the transport provided by the hosts, that is, the Swiss government.

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POLITICS

Swiss government urges voters to reject anti-immigration initiative

The Swiss government has urged voters to reject the "no to 10 million" popular vote aimed at curbing immigration saying any limit would risk the country's economic development and security. 

Published: 27 June 2024 17:40 CEST
Swiss government urges voters to reject anti-immigration initiative

The “No to 10 million” popular initiative calls for a curb to immigration when the number of Swiss permanent residents exceeds 9.5 million. 

While a date for the new popular vote has not been set, Switzerland’s Federal Council has already come out against the proposal, issuing an appeal to voters. 

In a press release published in Bern on Wednesday, the Federal Council stated that such a move, “endangers prosperity, economic development and security in Switzerland.” 

Specifically, the Federal Council highlighted the impact that curbing immigration would have on bilateral relations with the EU. 

The government argued that “ …according to the Federal Council, termination of the AFMP (Agreement on the Free Movement of People) would jeopardise the bilateral path with the EU. 

READ MORE: How does being in EFTA and Schengen benefit people in Switzerland?

“A unilateral termination of the AFMP would lead to the loss of all bilateral agreements with the EU due to the so-called ‘guillotine clause’.

“In addition, there is a risk that the Schengen and Dublin association agreements would also be terminated, which could lead to more irregular migration to Switzerland and would make it more difficult to combat crime.” 

‘No to 10 million’: SVP

Over 114,000 signatures were gathered by the populist SVP party and presented to the Federal Council earlier this year, under the banner of ‘No to a Switzerland of 10 million people’.

Switzerland has recorded a milestone in 2023: its population reached a 9-million mark.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED – How immigration is impacting Switzerland

Such a move would involve a restriction on the granting of so-called ‘B Permits’ and a limit to family reunions, as The Local previously reported.

A similar initiative by the SVP in 2020 failed, with 61.7 percent of voters rejecting a call to curb immigration from the EU.

“Over the past two years, more than 180,000 additional people have immigrated to Switzerland, with devastating consequences for our small country,” SVP head Marcel Dettling said after the submission of signatures this week. 

A growing nation

Switzerland’s population has experienced steady growth over the last few decades. 

It has been boosted by a consistent flow of migrants coming to study or work in the country, in addition to those seeking asylum from conflicts such as that in Ukraine. 

According to the FSO’s latest figures, the population grew by 0.8 percent between 2020 and 2021 – up 28 percent from the 1990 level. 

READ MORE: IN NUMBERS: Understanding Switzerland’s growing foreign population

Between August 2022 and July 2023, the country gained almost 175,000 migrants, with over three-quarters coming from within the EU/EEA. 

The previous year, the FSO estimated that around forty percent of Switzerland’s permanent residents aged 15 or over have a migration background. 

It also determined that over a million of those individuals with a migrant background had taken Swiss citizenship. 

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