Switzerland’s largest political party, the Swiss People’s Party opposes the government’s plan to rescue Credit Suisse, the nation’s second largest bank, according to a statement by a party spokesman on Thursday.
Thomas Matter, a member of the party’s leadership team, said, “The government shouldn’t give Credit Suisse a state guarantee,” adding, “the Swiss National Bank was responsible for providing liquidity to Credit Suisse, and the SNB has acted.”
Switzerland’s second-largest party, the Social Democrats, said through a spokesman, that the party is less opposed to the state assistance, however is desires “complete transparency.”
The statements come after Credit Suisse was given a line of credit of almost $54 billion through the Swiss National Bank to support its liquidity and reassure clients and investors that it will be able to continue to operate.
As the bank struggles, authorities are mulling a number of potential scenarios to save the nation’s second-largest bank. Presently the most talked-about possibility is for the bank to be acquired by the larger UBS, since it is feared Credit Suisse will not be able to continue as a stand-alone bank.
However Bloomberg reports that both banks are opposed to a forced merger, viewing such a takeover as a last resort, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
UBS would prefer to concentrate on its “wealth-centric standalone” strategy, and is unwilling to absorb the risks that would come with a merger with Credit Suisse, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile Credit Suisse prefers to buy time for the storm to pass, now that it has additional liquidity. Credit Suisse CEO Ulrich Koerner said to employees in a memo, that the lender would prioritize its efforts to strengthen the bank.
One other option being looked at, according to Bloomberg, would be to break up Credit Suisse, and sell it in pieces.
Credit Suisse stock fell to a record low this week when its largest stakeholder Saudi National Bank, refused to backstop the bank financially, after the bank noted it was experiencing record outflows.
The bank has been besieged by a number of scandals and losses, with its most recent report noting that outflows in the fourth quarter have amounted to 110 billion Swiss francs ($120 billion).