Across much of Europe, smoke detectors are a legal requirement. In Switzerland, they are not. The recent death of two people in a fire in Pfaffnau in the canton of Luzern has prompted calls to change the rules, reported SRF. On 19 March 2024, shortly after midnight, rescue workers were called to a burning apartment […]
Vote on Swiss neutrality passes signature hurdle
The team behind an initiative to add new wording on Swiss neutrality to the nation’s constitution succeeded this week in collecting sufficient signatures to call a referendum, reported RTS. Vote organisers claim to have collected 140,000 signatures, of which 110,000 have already been authenticated. Walter Wobmann, the leader of the initiative said that the signatures […]
Switzerland falls behind in happiness ranking
This year, Switzerland slipped further in the global happiness ranking and is now in 9th place. The year before it was 8th, and two years earlier it was 4th. The ranking is based on polling across the world. It aims to get beyond narrow measures of wellbeing such as GDP and HDI. It gathers a […]
Youth mental health and addiction deteriorates in Switzerland
A report published this week by Swiss Addiction shows rising consumption of addictive products containing nicotine and alcohol among young people. Much of the rise is due to newer products such as e-cigarettes and snus adding to overall consumption. Young people often use e-cigarettes in addition to regular cigarettes. Girls in particular are using them more […]
Swiss National Bank surprises with interest rate cut
On 21 March 2024, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) lowered its key interest rate from 1.75% to 1.5%. The move makes the SNB the first significant central bank to lower rates as inflation slows. The cut surprised many analysts and economists. The consensus expectation was for no change in the rate. Many other central banks […]
10-step guide to hiring an employee in Switzerland
Brought to you by quitt.business. For startups and small companies, hiring and onboarding new employees can be a real hassle. In Switzerland especially, there is a significant amount of admin to deal with. The following is a guide to all the tasks involved in this process. A summarised list of the administrative tasks associated with […]
Swiss court acquits defendant in euthanasia trial
In 2017, a Swiss doctor prescribed pentobarbital, a drug used in anesthesia, to a healthy 86-year-old woman who wanted to die alongside her seriously ill husband. Before consulting the doctor, the woman had already signed a notarised document stating that she could not psychologically bear the prospect of living without her husband. Pierre Beck, the […]
Over half of Swiss families struggling to make ends meet
A survey published this week by the organisation Pro Familia shows that 52% of families across Switzerland are struggling to make ends meet. For many families in Switzerland, money is tight or insufficient to cover all living expenses. The percentage finding themselves in this position rose from 47% to 52%. The rising cost of health […]
Swiss Rail struggles with debt despite high growth
Financial results published this week present a mixed picture for Swiss Rail. For the first time in three years the company made a profit. After transporting an average of 1.32 million people a day in 2023, the company made a profit of CHF 267 million. The year prior it made a loss of CHF -245 […]
New weight loss drugs likely to push up premiums
Since the beginning of March, Swiss health insurance companies have been covering the cost of Wegovy, a weight loss product, reported SRF. Previously, Ozempic, a drug also used by diabetics, was being prescribed for weight loss. Going forward, it is expected that the drugs Wegovy and Saxenda will be prescribed for weight loss instead of […]