Swiss left seeks inquiry into disputed F-35 fighter-jet purchase

The Social Democrats will seek a parliamentary commission of inquiry into Switzerland's purchase of 36 F-35A fighter jets. The party says the investigation must establish how procurement decisions were made, how costs were presented and whether the Defence Ministry gave parliament and the public inaccurate information.

The move follows a report from the National Council's Public Accounts Committee, known by its German acronym GPK-N. The report found that Switzerland did not secure the flat rate fixed price repeatedly cited by the government. The Defence Ministry had said the US-made aircraft would cost CHF 6 billion under a fixed price arrangement.

The Social Democrats plan to table a formal motion after a parliamentary group debate. Senator Franziska Roth, who specialises in security policy, is pursuing the matter. The party wants the inquiry to examine possible individual misconduct as well as institutional failures inside the defence department.

The dispute matters beyond the aircraft order. Switzerland's parliament approved a major defence purchase on the basis of information that now faces formal scrutiny. The inquiry proposal places procurement controls, ministerial accountability and the quality of government reporting at the centre of the autumn political agenda.

The central finding in the parliamentary report is precise: no flat rate fixed price was agreed with Washington. That conclusion conflicts with repeated assurances from the Defence Ministry that Switzerland had locked in the cost of the 36 aircraft at CHF 6 billion.

The report attributed the failure to administrative shortcomings. It did not establish that a criminal offence had occurred, and it did not automatically cancel the procurement. The discrepancy nevertheless creates a serious accountability problem. Parliament approved the acquisition while relying on a description of the contract that the oversight body says was inaccurate.

The report has prompted criticism across the political spectrum. Green lawmaker Clarence Chollet said the affair had damaged Switzerland's international image. Swiss People's Party leader Thomas Aeschi demanded answers about who managed the dossier and whether the external law firm involved in the process operated under adequate supervision.

The Radical Liberal Party has called for the government to rebuild trust with parliament. Its position reflects a broader concern: major security projects require clear documentation, especially when cost exposure can extend beyond the initial purchase to maintenance, upgrades and operations.

The proposed commission would examine whether the F-35 was presented more favourably than competing aircraft. The Social Democrats want investigators to determine whether bidders were treated discriminatorily and whether the purchase and operating costs were distorted during the selection process.

The inquiry would also assess claims about Switzerland's dependence on the aircraft's US supplier. The party says the Defence Ministry must explain whether it supplied incorrect information about that dependence. Such questions reach into operational autonomy, long term maintenance and the conditions under which Switzerland could use or upgrade the jets.

Former Social Democrat parliamentarian Pierre-Alain Fridez has argued that the fixed price statements may have involved deliberate misrepresentation rather than a simple misunderstanding. That remains an allegation, not an established finding. A commission would have powers to gather documents and question officials in a structured parliamentary investigation.

The Greens are expected to support the proposal. The Social Democrats have appealed to lawmakers from every group who want to restore confidence in the procurement process. The inquiry's scope will determine whether it becomes a narrow review of contract administration or a wider examination of the political case made for the aircraft.

A commission of inquiry faces a difficult vote because centre right parties hold a majority in parliament. Those parties have indicated that they are not keen to establish a parliamentary commission, making the Social Democrats' effort politically uncertain even with expected Green support.

The government has not announced immediate changes to the F-35 purchase. Former Defence Minister Viola Amherd, who oversaw the procurement while serving in the Federal Council, declined to comment further through a spokesperson. She said she had already addressed the issue and would not respond to the latest allegations.

Legal experts have also cautioned against assuming that the report will lead to proceedings. Andreas Stöckli, a professor of constitutional and administrative law at the University of Fribourg, said the requirements for financial liability by federal officials are stringent. Authorities would generally need to prove unlawful conduct carried out intentionally or through gross negligence.

Vincent Martenet, a constitutional law lecturer at the University of Lausanne, noted that Federal Council members have absolute immunity for statements made before parliament. Those legal protections do not remove the political duty to explain how the fixed price was described, but they narrow the immediate routes to personal liability.

The next test will come when parliament decides whether the dispute merits its strongest investigative instrument. A commission could map the chain of responsibility from the Defence Ministry and its legal advisers to the political approval of the aircraft purchase. It could also clarify what officials knew about price risks when they briefed lawmakers and the public.

For Switzerland, the stakes include more than the final bill. The F-35 programme will shape military planning, defence spending and relations with the United States for years. Any additional costs could affect other procurement priorities, although the available reports do not provide a confirmed revised total.

The affair has already exposed a gap between official language and parliamentary oversight. The government described a fixed price. The GPK-N found no such flat rate agreement. Until that gap is explained, parties across the chamber will face pressure to demonstrate that major defence commitments receive independent scrutiny.

The Social Democrats say a full clarification is necessary to restore confidence. Whether they can win the votes required will depend on centre right lawmakers who have criticised the handling of the dossier but remain wary of a formal inquiry. The immediate outcome is therefore a parliamentary decision about accountability, with the aircraft contract still in place.