How is it possible that the president walks around in the train station taking a public train, no (visible) body guards and not a single person approaches him? What’s different in this country?

Could Roger Federer walk around Zürich without causing commotion? Gorge Clooney? Taylor Swift?

https://i.redd.it/0oyn6zujvkcg1.jpeg

Posted by Choice-Drawer3981

41 Comments

  1. You don’t realize him in one second .

    He looks like a normal man who goes to work
    He looks like my old teacher, neighbor etc

  2. No, it’s only about our politicians. And this is the thing I love the most about my country. Should be like this everywhere in the world. 🌎

  3. fellainishaircut on

    I see 25 people each day that look like Parmelin lmao

    and also: most people couldn‘t name all 7 members of the Bundesrat. they don‘t care about politics. people just expect things to go somewhat smoothly and don‘t really care about individual politicians.

  4. IIRC the 2 people on his left are part of his team. But yeah, having the president of your country just behaving like a normal people doing their work is cool. The best of cool.

  5. eloquentbrowngreen on

    Celebrities are people first. They don’t appear in public for everyone’s entertainment unless it’s a special occasion.

    I don’t have an answer to your question about CH, but I can tell you that this says more about people who DO go crazy about celebrities than those who don’t.

    Just leave people alone, it’s very simple.

  6. Because the executive is shared amongst seven people.

    Also, Swiss politics are delightfully boring. It’s functional and doesn’t run on hype or insults like US politics.

  7. Idk. I never understood the hype around “celebs” and especially what certain people do when they encounter one.

    For me ,every person, regardless if they’re an actor, astronaut, f1 driver etc. Is just another ordinary person. Nothing special.

    Do I have respect for certains people work (people I dont know personally)? ofc I do! But that doesn’t mean i would feel or act any different like on any other person…

  8. I think it depends on the celebrity and their fanbase. There have been instances where famous people like ishowspeed have been followed but that is mostly because his fanbase is rather young but generally we respect peoples privacy more than other countries and that also applies for celebrities. Were just not that crazy about them.

  9. Bundesrat don’t make a show of it, they just do their job. There’s no “the president” we have more like 7 “presidents”. Also, the president changes every year, so people probably don’t even know.

  10. Swiss people are rather reserved, so just approaching someone is just not something you would do unless you got a good reason.

    For politicians specificially, we just don’t fetishize them. Thats something that I always found so weird about other countries, exspecially the US: Those are officials elected to carry out the will of the people. They aren’t all that important. After a few years, they will step back and someone else will take their position and nobody (apart from a few politics nerds) will know their name a decade later.

  11. Because im proud of myself and i respect the other’s space …and my only idol is my son.

  12. Given that the (hierarchical) distance between politicians and ordinary people is minimal in the Swiss political system, that is well possible.

  13. There is not much culture of personality in politics. The least we hear of our politicians the better: it generally means they’re doing their job well. 

    And frankly we don’t want to hear about it.

  14. In Switzerland most people have the mindset “Oh, I don’t want to bother them”.

    This results in some positive things, like celebrities not needing bodyguards.

    But it also creates an isolating atmosphere, which makes it very difficult to find new friends, if you didn’ already have them in school…

  15. We don’t really care about politicians, we mostly don’t see them as celebrities but as workers. For actual celebrities it’s a case by case basis. Depends on their fan demographic, it’s size and where they are.

  16. buerglermeister on

    Swiss people want to be left alone most of the time. And in return, we also leave strangers alone

  17. Because this is what I LOVE about my country. We don’t need a freaking orange man with 2 dooms plane. Life is more than this!

  18. Careless-Map700 on

    Same in Austria. The Austrian president walks around Vienna, takes the tram, without lots of bodyguards.

  19. I heard Taylor was able to get a coffee in Zurich but I don’t know if it’s true. If so, RESPECT

  20. Because the “President” of Switzerland is elected by the Federal council . And the position is not held long and is mostly a roll that involves meeting other heads of state.
    Swiss mentality does not tend toward hero worship rather towards egalitarianism

  21. Janus_The_Great on

    Privacy is strongly respected in Switzerland.

    That’s why so many celeberties like living here. No one bothers you. They may say “oh look it’s [name of famous person]” from afar to others that walk with them, but very seldom will famous people get approached, especially so when they are with family/other people. It would be rude/unacceptable to do so.

    I’ve seen quite a few celeberties from Clooney, Tina Turner, Roger Federer etc. They all just walk around in Switzerland without a bother.

    Also politicians here are far less seen as celeberties than burocrats. Just someone having a office position. 🤷‍♂️

  22. ExcellentAsk2309 on

    Seen 10/20 years ago:
    Sophia Lauren several times walking around old town Geneva.
    Phil Collins in Nyon (he didn’t look in the best of health unfortunately) his house is/was nearby I believe.
    Feeder at the coop in Wollerau. Everyone acted normal and carried on.

    Haven’t seen anyone famous since then to be honest.

    I think we place a high value on the respect of privacy.
    And it’s a beautiful thing.

  23. There was a video of Justin Bieber riding a bike around Switzerland this summer, being left alone completely. He was overjoyed, it was really wholesome to see him get to live life normally for a bit

  24. taylor probably not, like everyone with teen fans wont. no where. federer? yes, clooney probably too

  25. GlassCommercial7105 on

    Why did you take a picture of him?
    They also have a right to privacy, not even mentioning the person left who clearly did not consent and is easily recognisable. 

    Even posting a picture with this question is kinda not the way to do it here.