AI
Written with AI assistance•December 1, 2025•
AI
Generated IllustrationA court has acquitted a crossword setter for Le Nouvelliste newspaper, ruling that a clue describing the Swiss People's Party (UDC) with a list of negative attributes was an expression of opinion protected by free speech.
"Swiss political party – racist, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-ecological, anti-poor, nationalist."
A district court in Sion, Valais, has acquitted a crossword setter and a distributor from the newspaper Le Nouvelliste of defamation charges. The case was brought by the Valais chapter of the Swiss People's Party (UDC) over a politically charged crossword clue. The verdict is being hailed as a significant moment for freedom of expression in Switzerland.
The controversy began with a crossword puzzle published in the Valais paper on November 18, 2023. A clue read: “Swiss political party – racist, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-ecological, anti-poor, nationalist.” The seven-letter answer required was UDC, the French abbreviation for the Swiss People's Party. This definition sparked immediate backlash from the party.
Following the publication, the Valais UDC demanded and received an apology from Le Nouvelliste. However, the party did not let the matter rest. On November 24, 2023, it lodged a formal complaint against the crossword's author. A second complaint followed on January 27, 2024, against the person responsible for distributing the puzzle. The case escalated on May 15, 2024, when the procedure was extended after the defendants reportedly described the UDC as 'fascist' and 'supremacist' during a police hearing.
In its verdict on December 1, 2025, the Sion district court delivered a general acquittal for both defendants. The judge ruled that the contentious clue was not a statement of fact but an 'expression of opinion,' and therefore protected by freedom of expression. The court found no grounds for guilt in offences against honour or slander. This ruling establishes a clear distinction between defamatory claims and subjective, albeit harsh, political commentary.
The Swiss People's Party (UDC) is a prominent right-wing nationalist party in Switzerland, known for its strong stances on immigration and national sovereignty. The attributes listed in the crossword clue, while contentious, reflect criticisms often directed at the party from the political left. The UDC's decision to pursue legal action despite receiving an apology highlights the polarized nature of political discourse in the country. The acquittal, in turn, reaffirms the media's right to publish critical opinions, even in unconventional formats like a crossword puzzle.