ZURICH (Reuters) – The head of Switzerland’s armed forces and the chief of the neutral country’s intelligence services have both resigned their jobs, a Swiss lawmaker said on Monday, confirming media reports.
Thomas Suessli handed in his resignation as head of the armed forces at the end of January, public broadcaster SRF and newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung reported, citing sources, although he would remain in office until the end of 2025.
Christian Dussey, who heads the Federal Intelligence Service, has also resigned but will remain in office until the end of March 2026, the publications reported.
Priska Seiler-Graf, the president of the security committee of the lower Swiss house of parliament, confirmed the departures.
“I do not see any connection between these two resignations, as they work in different organizations,” she told Reuters.
The defence department declined to comment.
The departures come at a sensitive time for the Swiss defence establishment, which has come under fire for delays to key projects as it aims to build its capacities following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier this year Suessli said he was concerned about the delays of various projects, including military drones from Israel.
The defence department is also waiting for a new civilian head, after Minister Viola Amherd announced her resignation in January, with her successor in the Swiss cabinet still to be decided.
In another blow for the defence establishment, the Swiss Federal Audit Office on Monday revealed suspected cases of fraud at state-owned Swiss armaments group Ruag MRO and estimated financial damages “in the high double-digit million range.”
Seiler-Graf said she did not see any connection between the resignations and the reports on Ruag, but said Suessli’s and Dussey departure could be linked to Amherd’s departure.
“When the boss leaves, it usually results in other resignations as well,” she said.
(This story has been refiled to correct the day of the week to Monday, not Tuesday, in paragraph 1)
(Reporting by Ariane Luthi, editing by John Revill)
