Impending billions in additional costs "Disgraceful", "Lies and deceit" - how politicians react to the F-35 debacle

The F-35 purchase threatens to cost billions more. The reactions from politicians are correspondingly clear.

This article was last comprehensively updated at 18:34.

The purchase of the F35 fighter jets could cost Switzerland significantly more than the previously communicated fixed price of around six billion Swiss francs.

On Wednesday, DDPS head Martin Pfister announced that the USA had misunderstood the fixed price. There is a threat of additional costs of 650 million to 1.3 billion US dollars.

The reactions from politicians were not long in coming. Marianne Binder-Keller, a member of the Council of States, stands by the purchase of the 36 F-35 fighter jets, even if the price were higher. In this escalating world situation, Switzerland needs fighter jets to be able to defend itself.

She believes it is right that the Federal Council is sticking to the fixed price, the Aargau native told the Keystone-SDA news agency in response to an inquiry. Even if the price were higher than negotiated in the worst-case scenario, the purchase should be maintained.

"Procurement is quite advanced and jumping back to square one here would be highly problematic in terms of security policy," said the member of the Security Policy Committee of the Council of States. She considers a further delay to be "very difficult".

Molina: "Lied to and deceived"

"They lied and cheated to push through the F-35", wrote Zurich SP National Councillor Fabian Molina on the Bluesky platform on Wednesday. He was reacting to the Federal Council's announcement that the USA was demanding an additional amount for the purchase of fighter jets.

The member of the National Council's Security Policy Committee (SIK-N) went on to say that critical voices had been "laughed at and silenced". Now the people are sitting on "billions in damage". This is the result of bourgeois security policy.

Greens: "Stop procurement"

The Greens write on Bluesky: "The Federal Council must stop the procurement of the F-35." Any additional costs must be presented to parliament and the electorate.

Party President Lisa Mazzone is also quoted as saying: "The population approved CHF 6 billion by 50.1 percent - and not a cent more. They must have the last word."

For Green National Councillor Gerhard Andrey, now is the time to get out of the F-35 fighter jet business. The exit costs are lower than the foreseeable additional costs.

The suspicion that the fixed price was not to be taken seriously had been confirmed, said Andrey. There is not only a financial problem, but also a dependency problem.

With all other procurements, the importance of independence is emphasized, but "here Trump is in the cockpit", explained the member of the National Council's Security Policy Committee. Procurement should focus on Europe in order to reduce dependency on the USA.

GLP National Councillor Gredig: "Federal Council must not buckle"

Zurich GLP National Councillor Corina Gredig is calling on the Federal Council not to give in to the USA. According to Gredig, there were shortcomings in the drafting of the agreement.

As demanded by the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO), the agreement should have included a dispute resolution mechanism. The SFAO had been right, as Switzerland could not now take the agreement to arbitration due to the lack of a mechanism.

Gredig was also bothered by the fact that the Federal Armaments Office (Armasuisse) had accused the SFAO of seriously jeopardizing the interests of the Swiss Confederation. "The way the Defense Department deals with risks is anything but conducive to trust."

The initial situation is now a problem, as a lot of resources have already been invested. Gredig did not think it was right to cancel the exercise. "The Federal Council must not buckle prematurely now."

SVP: "Disgraceful cost debacle"

The SVP expressed itself even more clearly: "The cost debacle in the procurement of the F-35 is disgraceful", the party wrote in a statement. Apparently, the Federal Council and its officials are incapable of concluding a clean contract with a fixed price.

The main responsibility for the F-35 procurement disaster lies with the then Defense Minister Viola Amherd.

Center: "Left-green demands jeopardize defence capability"

The reaction of Amherd's centrist party is milder. On X, it writes that despite financial challenges, continuity in security is crucial. "The Federal Council is rightly advocating a solution within the parameters of the referendum on fighter jet procurement."

The left-green demands would weaken the protection of Swiss airspace and Switzerland's ability to defend itself. "This is irresponsible," writes the party.