F-35 controversy erodes trust and fuels calls for accountability

A non-representative poll by SRF found that 92 percent of participants believe politicians, officials and civil servants should be held accountable over the F-35 fighter jet controversy. The SRF “dialog” community is also calling for a full investigation and, in some cases, an end to the purchase.

Several users said the findings of the National Council’s Control Committee had shocked them, particularly its conclusion that Switzerland never had the communicated flat-rate fixed price for the aircraft.

The committee said Switzerland had negotiated a fixed-price clause, but that it did not correspond to the fixed total price presented to the public. It based its assessment on contradictions within the contract, a report by the Swiss Federal Audit Office, a statement by US authorities during the negotiations and US law governing Foreign Military Sales, under which the United States may make neither a profit nor a loss.

The committee also noted that US authorities had sent contradictory signals, including through a statement issued by the US embassy in Switzerland. It said the fixed price could not be challenged in court and could not be enforced through diplomatic channels.

“dialog” users called for the background to the controversy and those responsible to be fully identified. Some also pointed to early criticism of the fighter jet from Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands, asking why Switzerland had not listened to its neighbours or conducted further investigations.

Many participants said the affair should have consequences for those politically responsible. Others called for measures to prevent a similar scandal from happening again and urged Switzerland to stop the F-35 purchase to limit even higher and less controllable costs in the future.

One user who had previously supported completing the purchase said she now favoured abandoning the F-35 and acquiring a European alternative, which she said could also improve relations with negotiating partners such as France.

The community’s overall message was that the F-35 controversy had damaged confidence in politics and the administration, and that reassurances alone would not restore it.