The canton of Geneva takes the separation of state and religion, or laïcité, seriously. Article 3 of Geneva’s constitution, states that the government and its institutions should be secular, religiously neutral, not pay clerical salaries or subsidise any religious activity, while maintaining relations with religious communities. In 2016, the canton’s public schools were sent a […]
Reaction to Swiss newspaper article on Serena Williams’ tennis outfit goes viral
A reaction to an article in the print edition of the Swiss newspaper le Nouvelliste, which has a photograph of the tennis star in her latest tennis costume and the headline: Tennis : Serena Williams, a real lack of taste1, has gone viral on Facebook. Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had […]
Voters in Swiss canton of Valais reject Winter Olympics
Today, the government of Valais asked its voters if they wanted to spend CHF 100 million on the 2026 Winter Olympics. This money would have been the canton’s contribution to the overall funding of the games should its capital city Sion win its bid for the Games. CHF 60 million was earmarked for infrastructure and […]
Swiss vote results on banking system and gambling – 10 June 2018
Today, Swiss voters voted on two federal initiatives: the full money initiative and changes to gambling laws. The vote to change Swiss gambling rules aimed to update existing laws on gambling in Switzerland and the full money initiative was a vote to radically change Switzerland’s banking system. As predicted, the vote to change Swiss gambling rules was […]
Parent-teacher relations a major concern in French-speaking Swiss schools
For the first time, a survey by Switzerland’s head teachers’ association asked about parent-teacher relations. In French-speaking1 Switzerland, 55% listed parent-teacher relations as a principle concern, in second place after concern over the health of teachers (73%), who are finding their job increasingly stressful. Across the rösti graben in German-speaking Switzerland, 45% thought parent-teacher relations […]
Switzerland votes this weekend on its banking system and gambling rules
On Sunday 10 June 2018, Swiss voters will vote on two federal initiatives. Vote to change Swiss gambling rules The plan aims to update existing laws on gambling in Switzerland. Among the changes are the removal of taxation on winnings up to one million francs, the application of Swiss law to any entity offering gambling […]
Swiss pensions – lump sum withdrawal restrictions rejected by Council of States
Against the wishes of the Federal Council, Switzerland’s upper house, the Council of States, rejected a plan to prevent people from withdrawing lump sums from their 2nd Pillar pensions, according to the newspaper Tribune de Genève. Last week, the Council of States voted 25 to 15 to reject the plan. The Federal Council thinks forcing […]
Switzerland loses a newspaper
Born as the La Tribune de Lausanne in 1893, the newspaper Le Matin, will roll off printing presses for the last time on 21 July this year, announced its owner Tamedia today. The newspaper, which lost CHF 6.3 million last year, will lay off 41 staff and continue as a digital publication. Over the last decade the paper […]
Swiss post ranked best in the world
For the second year in a row, Switzerland’s postal service came first in the Integrated Index for Postal Development. Produced by the Universal Postal Union, a UN agency, the Index covers 173 countries and measures four things: reliability, reach, relevance and resilience. Global postal networks, employing 5.32 million people around the world, are seen as a […]
Swiss unemployment continues to fall
The number of registered unemployed in Switzerland dropped by 9% in May 2018 to a rate of 2.4%, down from 2.7% in April, according to a report by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The rate in May 2018 was 22% lower than in May 2017. Switzerland’s unemployment hasn’t been this low since 2008. […]
