Switzerland’s top military and intelligence officials have both resigned, marking a significant shift in the country’s defence leadership.
Thomas Suessli, head of the armed forces, submitted his resignation at the end of January but will remain in office until the end of 2025. Similarly, Christian Dussey, chief of the Federal Intelligence Service, has resigned and will stay in his role until March 2026.
Priska Seiler-Graf, president of the Swiss parliament’s security committee, confirmed the resignations but dismissed any direct link between them, citing their work in separate organizations.
The departures come at a challenging time for Switzerland’s defence establishment, which has faced criticism over delays in key military projects, including the procurement of Israeli drones. Additionally, the resignation of Defence Minister Viola Amherd in January has left the department awaiting new civilian leadership.
Compounding the turmoil, the Swiss Federal Audit Office recently uncovered suspected fraud at the state-owned armaments company Ruag MRO, with financial damages estimated in the high double-digit million range.
While Seiler-Graf ruled out any direct connection between the resignations and the Ruag controversy, she suggested that Suessli and Dussey’s decisions could be linked to Amherd’s departure, noting that leadership changes often trigger further exits.
