In the wake of the devastating fire at a bar in Crans-Montana, many Swiss citizens are questioning the effectiveness of their political system. Switzerland is known for its efficiency and devolved government, where local officials are elected from the community to oversee village and town affairs.
However, the tragic New Year's Eve incident has exposed serious flaws in this system. Many questions arose after 40 young people lost their lives and 116 were injured, prompting widespread grief and fury when it was revealed that the bar, Le Constellation, had not been inspected since 2019.
Mayor Nicolas Feraud disclosed that fire-safety checks are the responsibility of local officials and should occur annually, but only 40 of 128 establishments in Crans-Montana were checked in 2025. Feraud acknowledged a lack of inspectors but did not offer clear answers when pressed by local journalists about accountability.
The outrage has been palpable, exacerbated by the perception that local officials may have conflicts of interest—friends or family ties—with bar owners. A devastating blow to the community's trust, residents are left seeking answers and transparency, especially from officials responsible for safety standards.
Romy Biner, the mayor of nearby Zermatt, echoed calls for better resources to handle safety inspections in the wealthy canton of Valais. However, many are unsatisfied with this excuse, given the wealth of Crans-Montana and Zermatt, leading to demands for systemic change.
Following the mayor's news conference, public sentiment has turned aggressively against local leadership. Calls for resignations have grown louder, with many expressing disbelief that such negligence could occur in a country renowned for its safety and reliability.
The implications of this tragedy reach beyond Crans-Montana. With investigations underway and the bar owner in custody, a broader discussion about the effectiveness of Switzerland's political structure is taking center stage. Families impacted by the fire are demanding accountability, not only from local leaders but also on a national level.
The situation has stirred hardened emotions reminiscent of historical crises when accountability fell short, such as the Swissair collapse and the UBS crisis. As scrutiny on local governance intensifies, citizens of Switzerland seek to restore confidence in their leadership and ensure that safety measures are enforced rigorously to prevent such horrors from happening again.
