This article was translated from the Italian edition of Lugano Tribune.

At its October 6 session, the Gran Consiglio, the cantonal parliament of Ticino, approved a credit of more than CHF 4.1 million to advance the security costs of the OSCE Ministerial Conference, scheduled in Lugano on December 3 and 4, 2026. The total cost of the security operation is already estimated at more than CHF 6.1 million.

On August 12 the Federal Council classified the conference as an extraordinary event under the federal law on measures to safeguard internal security and decided that the Confederation will bear 80 percent of the security costs incurred by the canton in fulfilling its federal protection mandate. Lugano will host the 33rd OSCE Ministerial Council, the decision-making body of the organization that brings together 57 participating states, as Switzerland holds the OSCE presidency in 2026.

The December ministerial marks the political apex and conclusion of Switzerland's OSCE presidency year, which included thematic conferences in St. Gallen on combating antisemitism, Geneva on technology anticipation, Bern on the OSCE's founding process and purpose, and Zug on de-escalation in cyberspace. High-level delegations from the 57 participating states and 11 partner states are expected, including foreign ministers and representatives of the UN, NATO, the EU and the Council of Europe; Ticino's cantonal police will run security with intercantonal support, in coordination with fedpol and the federal agencies.

The UDC's objections

The Ticino branch of the UDC (the Swiss People's Party) objects that the canton should bear costs and financial risks for an event organized by the Confederation, and demands that Bern cover the expenses in full. Tiziano Galeazzi, author of the minority report, compared the event to an international fashion runway and flagged the disruption for the city: from December 1 to 4 the road in front of the Padiglione Conza is to be fully closed, with other streets closed intermittently, and the party fears losses for city shops in the pre-Christmas period. The UDC also recalled the 2022 Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted in Lugano, arguing that the benefits announced at the time never materialized.

a Milano Moda-style runway

Tiziano Galeazzi, UDC member of the cantonal parliament and author of the minority report, in the UDC Ticino press release of October 6, 2026

With the credit approved, the canton can advance the security spending; the final split of costs between Bellinzona and Bern remains the political question, with the UDC demanding the Confederation assume the full burden.