The resignation of the army chief is known by indiscretion

The television cameras from SRF, RTS and Tele Züri were in row at 11.45 a.m. in front of the entrance door to the session room 286 in the Bundeshaus. The National Council's security policy commission met there.

In the morning at 10.45 a.m., this had been caught by the NZZ message, army chief Thomas Süssli and Christian Dussey, head of the federal news service (NDB). Then she offered Defense Minister Viola Amherd for the meeting.

The Federal Councilor marched past the crowd at 11:58 a.m. with a petrified expression and entered the meeting room. When the doors of the room opened again shortly before 1 p.m., the Defense Minister was no longer a trace – she had disappeared into the Bundeshaus Ost via the escape route in a toilet.

Previously, according to security politicians present, Amherd had shown himself very angry with the indiscretion with which the departures of Süssli and Dussey had become known. The Federal Council must take note of the resignation on Wednesday.

On Tuesday morning, the corresponding papers were uploaded to the internal platform – they were marked as « confidential ». So about 100 people from the federal administration had access to this business. An hour later the NZZ spread the news.

As the « Blick » reports, the VBS has now filed a criminal complaint against unknown people.

« That strikes the floor to the barrel »

This indiscretion ensures red heads among the security politicians. Middle National Councilor Reto Nause says that he was sitting in a government in the city of Bern. « But what I experience in the Federal Council in terms of indiscretions excludes the barrel – especially against the background of the geopolitical situation we are in. » A government must be able to work together. But that is no longer the case. Nause: « We are in a tangible government crisis. »

SP national councilor Priska Seiler Graf also commented as President of the Security Policy Commission on the fact that the media had already reported the resignations before the Federal Council meeting. This is not a good sign in an outdoor and domestic and domestic period.

The negative headlines for the defense department do not tear off. On January 15, Viola Amherd announced the resignation at the end of March. On Monday, a corruption scandal shook the Ruag. Already on Friday the departure of Air Force Chief Peter Merz, who switched to Skyguide as CEO. And now the resignations of poor Süssli will follow at the end of 2025 and NDB boss Dussey at the end of March 2026.

Security politician Seiler Graf speaks of « vacuum »

« I am worried, I don't like this situation in the VBS, » says Priska Seiler Graf and speaks of a « vacuum »: « We are in a geopolitical situation as it has not been for a long time. A clear leadership in the security policy area is needed. »

Not everyone assesses the situation as problematic. « The new Minister of Defense now has the opportunity to redesign his management team, » says National Councilor Martin Candinas. « He should create a team that steps forward together. » And SVP National Councilor Thomas Hurter also finds: « If key people withdraw, this is also an opportunity for the new Federal Council. » A person at the head of the army is now needed, « who can lead and decide ». Hurter: « The army works for a certain time even without bosses. »

Amherd had appointed Thomas Süssli as the head of the army on January 1, 2020. His appointment was surprisingly, since he lacked the smell of stable by the professional officer. Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer brought him out of the banking world in 2015 and promoted him past the hierarchy to the Brigadier and commander of the logistics brigade.

Süssli receives largely good grades. He did a « good and loyal job », says FDP Council of States Josef Dittli. He had fulfilled the tasks of the army such as securing the Bürgenstock conference, the training and further development of the army with the black book “To the fullest satisfaction”. Middle National Councilor Martin Candinas says that the army chef created the image of an « open army » and took ahead in the cyber area.

SVP National Councilor Hurter judges more critically. Süssli is responsible for the new digitization platform NDP, which does not work as promised. In 2024, the renewal of the airspace monitoring system should have been switched on, but it is now delayed by 2030.

Hurter also praises Süssli. The army chief communicated well and sympathetically and professionally represented the army. However, he « improved the internal problems consistently ».

Dussey failed with his order at the NDB

Hardly tears cry the security politicians NDB boss Christian Dussey-although his start in 2022 was accompanied by great hopes. Federal Councilor Amherd took him to convert the intelligence service.

The former Swiss ambassador was commissioned to open the old hierarchies of the intelligence service – and create a modern management structure. The redesign led to great resentment. In an internal personnel survey in 2023, the executives of the NDB received devastating grades. There were many departures. And the cantonal police commanders criticized that the NDB was more busy with itself than with the security of the country.

On Wednesday, the Federal Council is likely to take note of Süssli and Dussey's dismissals. More emotions in the committee probably triggers the question, which is why it was only informed about the dismissals so late – and how the indiscretions came about.

Long silence towards the government

It seems strangely that the departures of Süssli and Dussey only bring to the Federal Council on February 26, although Dussey already terminated on January 20 and Süssli on January 30th. The Federal Councilor waited almost a month until she put her colleagues in the picture.

In addition, there is the army chef's zigzag communication. Ten days ago he gave the “Saturday Rundschau” from Radio SRF an interview, on Sunday the “Sonntagsblick”. On Friday, Tele Züri was able to shoot a “talk every day” with Süssli. The program should have been broadcast on Tuesday evening – it had to be stamped. And this newspaper had an interview appointment for Tuesday morning, which was postponed at short notice on Monday. And this despite the fact that Süssli had known about his own termination for 26 days.

Keller-Sutter demanded Süssli withdrawal in the government

As for indiscretion, there is now even a public presumption. Middle Councilor Andrea Gmür writes on the news service X that she regrets the resignation of army chief Süssli. In the same tweet, she asks the question of the leak. She confronts Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter directly-and asks: « Was it the FDP NZZ-Connection, Ms. Keller-Sutter again? »

Gmür's indirect subordination is unrelated. On the other hand, the dispute of the two Federal Councilors Amherd and Keller-Sutter around the army finances is known. In addition, according to two sources in the spring of 2024, the Keller -Sutter in the Federal Council demanded that army chief Thomas Süssli resigned – afterwards misleading statements to be misleading about a « liquidity bottleneck » in the army.

These are things that may be an issue at the meeting of the overall Federal Council on Wednesday.