PR campaigns and political initiatives by the “Swiss Civil Forum” since the association was founded in spring 2020.

  • August 2025: Support for the “Families Against Individual Taxation” committee in the “Referendum Against Individual Taxation” (online and by collecting signatures on the street). The Federal Council and Parliament want to impose a new tax system on families. https://www.ig3plus.ch/individualbesteuerung.html.

  • June–July 2025: Continued dissemination of the “Pastors Check” via email campaigns and local distribution campaigns. Now also available in French. The ongoing publicity work and the fact that the contents of the citizens' forum are also available in French led to a welcome increase in the number of visitors to the website in 2025. While the website recorded 16,000 visitors in 2024 (1,333 per month), the number increased significantly from January to July 2025 (17,125 visitors; = 2,446 visitors per month).

  • May 2025: Launch of the website in French. Start of flyer campaigns online and before events in churches and parliaments (church services, ordinations, confirmations, synods, “church” events, etc.) in bilingual parts of Switzerland and in French-speaking Switzerland.

  • March 2025: New visitor record on the Citizens' Forum website. During the month of March, 3,714 people clicked on Citizens' Forum texts.
  • February 2025: Project to translate the Citizens' Forum website into French; continuation of the “Pfarrer-Check” distribution campaigns.
  • January 2025: Review of actions and results for the year 2024:
    • Labor-intensive support for actions by the “Democratic Resistance” (Corona Symposium; EDU referendum).
    • 40 “Pfarrer-Check” distribution campaigns were carried out.
    • 16,011 different people visited the Bürgerforum website and clicked on 66,403 pages (284,367 hits).
    • 12 blog articles on controversial national and international topics were published and marketed via X-posts.
  • November–December 2024: Distribution campaigns for Pfarrer-Check, primarily in connection with Reformed and Catholic synods in several cantons.
  • September–October 2024: Assistance with the EDU Switzerland referendum against public funding of the Eurovision Song Contest (email campaign, personal contacts, signature collection).
  • July 2024: Participation in networking meeting https://abfschweiz.ch/; intensified contacts with the “Democratic Resistance Switzerland” network
  • June 2024: “Pfarrer-Check” (Pastor Check) campaign in cities across Switzerland
  • May 10, 2024: Submission of an appeal by a renowned Swiss law firm against the EDÖB's decision to severely restrict the public nature of the “Pfarrer-Check” project.
  • April 2024: Preparation of the appeal against the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner's (FDPIC) decision in the “Pastors Check” case for submission to the Federal Administrative Court.
  • April 9, 2024: Decision by the FDPIC to largely remove the public character of the political campaign “Pastors Check” by the Swiss Citizens' Forum. 
  • April 6, 2024: Moderation of the panel discussion with activists from six organizations of the Corona resistance.
  • March–April 2024: In-depth collaboration in the core team of the symposium.
  • January–February 2024: Distribution campaigns for “Pastors Check” and collaboration in the preparations for the 1st Swiss Corona Symposium on April 6–7 at the Eventfabrik Bern.
  • December 2023: The end of the year provided motivation to take stock of the “Pastors Check” project for the first time.
    • Since the project began in May 2023, 5,837 people have been invited via individually addressed emails to participate in the public discussion on the political and social mission of the churches.
    • Over 10,400 people have visited the website of the "Swiss Civil Forum" since May 23. The website's statistics tool with database has shown that visitors have consulted the website's content (blog posts, Pastors Check) very intensively in some cases.
    • As was to be expected, church staff have almost universally refused to comment publicly on the ideological roots of their public engagement. Only one pastor and one youth worker have published their answers to the questions in the “Pastors Check.”
    • However, substantial discussions took place with dozens of people in what were sometimes very extensive email exchanges.
    • During 32 distribution campaigns before synods, church services, and cultural events in churches, a large number of “Pastors Check” flyers were distributed to visitors and employees of the national churches. These contacts also led to a large number of conversations and discussions about undesirable developments in the church.
    • The aforementioned attempts (primarily by Reformed church councils and clergy) to ban the “Pastors Check” campaign and the publication of personal data led to an investigation against the Swiss Citizens' Forum, which the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner opened on December 11, 2023.
  • November–December 2023: exploratory talks with leaders of various resistance organizations. As "Swiss Civil Forum" we want to support and/or participate in actions against the WHO's actions, which pose a threat to the state. Since the WHO's intentions to restrict or suspend the sovereignty of its 193 member states through a pandemic treaty and International Health Regulations (IHR) became known, information has been gathered, political initiatives in the National Council (Schläpfer, Glarner, Grüter, Friedli) have been noted, and presentations and media briefings have been followed (Philipp Kruse, Pro Schweiz). In view of the availability of a final version of the WHO documents in May 2024, the urgency of focused PR and political defense has increased significantly. In contact with activists from the “STOP WHO!” movement, concrete steps for resistance were discussed and in-depth clarifications and personal networking were promoted.
  • October 2023: Church leaders are increasingly attempting to hinder or prevent the distribution of the "Pastors Check" (e.g., in front of St. Matthäus City Church in Lucerne or in front of the Reformed Synod of the Canton of Zurich).
  • August–September 2023: After the summer holidays, the "Swiss Civil Forum" receives a flood of registered letters from individuals requesting that their data (names, church positions) be deleted from the Citizens' Forum website. Pastors and cantonal church councils threaten legal action if their demands are not met. On August 31, a letter from the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) was sent to the "Swiss Civil Forum". It stated that several individuals had inquired about their right to request the removal of their personal data by means of an objection and deletion request. In its response to the FDPIC dated September 11, 2023, the "Swiss CIvil Forum" refers to the undisputed public interest that precludes the deletion request. A response from the FDPIC in Bern is still pending. Lawyers will probably have to decide how the new Data Protection Act regulates the handling of data relating to public figures (parliamentarians, church personnel, etc.). In a press release on September 20, the "Swiss Civil Forum" informed editorial offices in German-speaking Switzerland about the church's opposition.
  • July 2023: Start of distribution-campaigns for the “Pastors Check” flyer in front of churches where Sunday services are held. The first campaigns took place in Bern, Zurich, St. Gallen, Chur, Solothurn, and Lucerne.
  • June 2023: The co-founder of the PR project “Pastors Check”, Rev. Susanna Schuppli-Kägi, dies on June 5, 2023, after a short, serious illness. For decades of her professional life, Rev. Schuppli was committed to a Reformed Church that did not bow to the dictates of the spirit of the times. Her courageous commitment earned Ms. Schuppli (as was to be expected) fierce resistance and the denial of pastoral duties. Rev. Schuppli did not allow herself to be discouraged. In 2017, she made a media-effective public appearance with an offensive protest action in front of St. Anna's Chapel in Zurich. This was the starting signal for her later collaboration with the "Swiss Civil Forum". In the spring of 2023, Rev. Schuppli contributed her energy and substantial input to the “Pastors Check” campaign. A few days after completing the primary working instrument (questionnaire), Susanna Schuppli fell ill. The “Swiss Civil Forum" will continue to honor Rev. Schuppli-Kägi posthumously as a Protestant confessor and co-founder of the “Pastors Check.”
  • May 2023: In the evangelical weekly magazine IDEA, the co-secretary general of the Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) and the president of the Swiss Free Churches now also speak out. They call the “Pastor Check” discrediting and superfluous. (IDEA 22.2023). The editor-in-chief of IDEA refuses to publish a letter to the editor from the “Pastors Check” project management team in order to respond publicly to the criticism and explain the necessity of the campaign. It is not surprising that formerly conservative associations and organizations are now protecting the secularized national churches. After all, free churches, SEA & Co. have been working for years on a dysfunctional unity with the major churches. Details can be found in the blog article “Leftist bias in free churches and SEA.”
  • May 2023: Just a few days after the launch of the “Pastors Check” campaign, SonntagsBlick is already up in arms. The head of the Swiss Reformed Church and the “highest-ranking” Catholic in Zurich are given a major platform to express their displeasure and accuse the citizens' forum of “thought terrorism.” Journalist Raphael Rauch bases the entire story on a photograph of a “fake priest,” as if it were not common practice in PR and advertising to work with purchased images. Of course, professionalism plays no role at SonntagsBlick.

 

  • May 2023: Launch of the “Pastors Check” project. An electronic survey of > 6,000 pre-registered individuals associated with the Reformed and Catholic churches in German-speaking Switzerland.

 

  • January–April 2023: Provision of working tools (address file, flyers, questionnaires, website) for the new “Pastors Check” campaign.
  • August–December 2022: Writing blog posts. Preparatory work for the next PR campaign with the aim of bringing serious, damaging misdevelopments at a large semi-governmental Swiss institution into the public debate.
  • June - July 2022: Adaptation of the website and blog posts: Change of focus from “Criticism of Corona policy” to “Criticism of the new left's destabilization of politics and society.” Political PR with the aim of combating destructive developments in Switzerland (eco, gender, coronavirus, overburdening of the welfare state, etc.) through a resurgence of bourgeois values.
  • May 2022: Interview on Stricker TV on the topic of the expected annulment of US abortion rights by the Supreme Court.
  • March–April 2022: Research and action planning in relation to the pandemic treaty being prepared by the WHO to enable more effective action in future “pandemics.” Intensification of blogging activities, including marketing via Twitter.
  • February 2022: Co-sponsorship, mobilization, and participation in the rally on February 19 in Zurich.
  • December 2021 - January 2022: Processing inquiries from people in countries bordering Switzerland (Austria, Germany). In view of the impending vaccination mandate in Germany and the vaccination mandate decided upon in Austria, which will take effect on February 1, 2022, people who refuse to be vaccinated intend to leave their home countries. Accelerated investigations into possible emigration plans among Covid vaccination opponents in Switzerland's neighboring countries (Germany, Austria, Italy, France).
  • November 2021: Distribution of flyers opposing the Covid law in various regions of Switzerland.
  • November 6, 2021: Day conference www.kirche-und-corona.ch - Presentation by Daniel Regli, project manager of Bürgerforum
  • October 23, 2021: Co-sponsorship, mobilization, and participation in the large rally in Bern. The demonstration far exceeded all previous rallies in terms of momentum. Even mainstream media reported that more than 30,000 critics of coronavirus policy had gathered in Bern.
  • October 2021: Production and distribution of the flyer “No to the Covid Act on November 28, 2021”. Activists from several regions of Switzerland ordered the flyers for distribution campaigns in their areas.
  • August 2021: Publication of a blog article about the book “The Great Reset” by WEF founder Klaus Schwab in the political magazine “Schweizerzeit” in the August 27 issue (12,000 copies).
  • July 2021: Mobilization and participation in the resistance rally in Lucerne.
  • June 2021: Support for Referendum 2 against the Covid Act. The Action Alliance of the Original Cantons is asking for help in collecting signatures. After the vote on June 13, 2021, the required 50,000 signatures must be collected within three weeks. Five large and several small resistance organizations are joining forces to push the referendum through. - The Bürgerforum is participating by
  • distributing the electronic referendum forms via its newsletter and repeated Twitter posts.
    • Renewed networking activities with the magazine ‘Schweizerzeit’, which is including the referendum form of the five large organizations in the newspaper and giving the co-presidium of the youth movement Massvoll the opportunity to explain the urgency of Referendum 2 in an article.
    • Collection campaigns are being carried out in small teams in pedestrian zones in Zurich and the surrounding area.
  • April 2021: The project manager of the "Swiss Civil Forum", Daniel Regli, publishes the book: Corona and delayed dying. Chaotic politics and the failure of the church. www.artesio.ch ISBN 978-3-033-08472-8.
  • January–March 2021: Further expansion of PR and work on a book project. Advertising for rallies in Switzerland and supportive participation.
  • November/December 2020: Support for the referendum by constitutionalists against the Covid law
    • At the request of the "Swiss Civil Forum", the publisher of the political magazine ‘Schweizerzeit’, former National Council member Dr. Ueli Schlüer, has agreed to support the referendum.
    • The Citizens' Forum is having 12,000 referendum forms printed, which can be included free of charge with the Schweizerzeit.
    • Two major accompanying articles will explain, on behalf of the "Swiss Civil Forum" and the Constitutional Friends, why further and intensified resistance to the Federal Council's coronavirus policy is needed by means of a referendum.
  • September 19, 2020: The "Swiss Civil Forum" is part of the organizing committee for another rally. It takes place on Turbinenplatz in Zurich. The participation of well-known comedian Marco Rima and satirist Andreas Thiel gives the rally a lot of media coverage, but also a lot of criticism, of course. In addition to many other speakers, the project manager of the "Swiss Civil Forum", Daniel Regli, also gives a short speech.
  • August 29, 2020: The "Swiss Civil Forum" is part of the organizing committee for a large rally on Helvetiaplatz in Zurich. The rally, attended by approximately 1,500 people, is a strong, cheerful protest against the coronavirus measures and a clear commitment to freedom. The diverse group of participants is striking: children, adults, seniors, immigrants, patriots, freaks, and political activists from both the left and right wings.
  • July/August 2020: Expansion of PR and networking with other organizations. Advertising for further rallies in Switzerland and supportive participation.
  • June 27, 2020: “Back to Switzerland!” rally on Bundesplatz in Bern. Strict restrictions imposed by the police. Initially, the rally was only allowed to be planned for 300 people. Ten days before the rally, the Federal Council increased the number to 1,000. Due to calls by Antifa against the rally and because the police expected a mass rush, the permit holder (Bürgerforum Schweiz) and the participating organizations were prohibited from advertising on social media. It was also forbidden to name the speakers, probably mainly in view of the attraction potential of the satirist Andreas Thiel. Despite the advertising ban, more than 500 people gathered on the Bundesplatz to joyfully and colorfully protest against the Federal Council's coronavirus policy. The following organizations were jointly responsible for the rally:
    • Resistance 2020 (spokesperson Dr. Andreas Heisler; founding member www.aletheia-scimed.ch)
    • Spring 2020
    • Corona Transition
    • notrecht-referendum.ch (spokesperson Christoph Pfluger, founding member www.verfassungsfreunde.ch)
    • Bürgerforum Schweiz
  • June 2020: Expansion of networking with individuals/organizations involved in the resistance. Preparatory meeting for a first approved joint rally.
  • June 2, 2020: Distribution campaign by a small team in front of EXPO Bern. At the beginning of the June session, parliamentarians are offered a flyer before entering EXPO, asking them once again to convene a PUK.
  • May 2020: Expansion of political PR on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram). Establishment of contacts with other individuals and organizations involved in the resistance.
  • May 2, 2020: A letter was sent to all members of the Swiss National Council and Council of States requesting that a PUZK be convened to investigate the background to the coronavirus lockdown of March 16, 2020, and to make the results available to the public. The letter was accompanied by a catalog of questions that arose in light of the misguided coronavirus policy:
  • May 1, 2020: Founding of the association “BSwiss Civil Forum" to combat the Federal Council's disproportionate and damaging coronavirus policy with civic political PR.