In French-speaking Switzerland 1 in 8 young people aged 14-25 is a frequent e-cigarette smoker, reported RTS. The study by Unisanté shows that two thirds would like to stop the highly addictive habit. The e-cigarette of choice for most children and young people is the disposable kind shown above. They are relatively cheap, small, easy […]
Switzerland leads again on male life expectancy
Data published by the OECD show Switzerland leading on male life expectancy at birth. The latest figure (2021) is 81.9 years. Other nations with high male life expectancy include Iceland (81.8), Norway (81.7), Japan (81.6) and Sweden (81.4). The year before, male life expectancy in Switzerland was 81.0, lower than Australia (81.2), Iceland (81.6), Japan […]
Switzerland remains in top 10 most democratic countries
On 1 February 2023, The Economist Intelligence Unit published its annual report on democracy around the world. During 2022, Switzerland rose to 7th place, up from 10th in 2021. The average global index score stagnated in 2022. Despite expectations of a rebound after the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, the score was almost unchanged, at 5.29 […]
Corruption report: nepotism and conflicts of interest should be Switzerland’s focus
The 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published on 31 January 2023, shows that most countries are failing to stop corruption. The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories around the world by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average remains unchanged […]
99 percent of Swiss sirens pass this year’s tests
Every year, Switzerland tests its apocalyptic-sounding sirens on the first Wednesday of February. This year it was done on 1 February 2021 at 13:30. The same day Switzerland’s Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) announced that 99% of fixed sirens were functioning. Cantons and municipalities are required to fix or replace the […]
Corona leaks – Swiss minister denies knowing of leak
Earlier in January 2023, the newspaper Schweiz am Wochenende alleged repeated communication took place between a member of Switzerland’s interior ministry and the media group Ringier during the Covid pandemic. Since then accusations have been directed at Alain Berset, the minister in charge of the department, reported RTS. The information allegedly shared allowed the newspaper […]
Government creates plan to stem resignations in healthcare
After the heavy workload of the Covid pandemic, the backlog of operations it created and a general shortage of qualified personnel, the challenges of working in Swiss hospitals is becoming too much for some staff, leading them to resign. Aware of this, on 25 January 2023, the Federal Council presented a plan to improve working […]
Unclaimed Swiss pensions reach 5.6 billion in 2022
When workers in Switzerland change employers they typically take their salary-based pensions with them. However, if they leave the country without making any pension transfer arrangements, after six months, their pension money ends up with the Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution, a kind of backstop holding place for forgotten pensions. At the the end of 2022, […]
Retirement at 68.2 to cover Swiss pension shortfall, says UBS
Swiss resident’s are regularly reminded of the large financial gap is Switzerland’s state pension system. Despite this, several attempts at reform have failed to gain sufficient support. Those that have still leave a large shortfall. On 24 January 2023, UBS published four additional reform scenarios. Only the fourth, with a life expectancy adjusted retirement age […]
Swiss government aims to cut 2 billion from 2024 budget
Like many governments across the world, Switzerland’s federal government is spending more than it collects. Extraordinary spending on Covid and refugees has pushed Switzerland’s finances into the red, a situation Karin Keller-Sutter, the current finance minister, hopes to eliminate by 2024. During its meeting on 25 January 2023, the Federal Council made preliminary decisions to […]
