This week, Switzerland’s federal government announced that an application for an optional referendum against gay marriage had collected enough valid signatures to clear the way for a vote on the subject. On 18 December 2020, Switzerland’s upper house voted in favour of gay marriage after it was endorsed by a parliamentary majority, clearing the way […]
Basel offers beggars one-way tickets anywhere in Europe
The city of Basel is offering beggars travel vouchers to any destination in Europe in exchange for agreeing not to return. The city’s immigration service is offering rail vouchers and CHF 20 to any beggar requesting it, according to 20 Minutes. To get the voucher beggars must sign a written contract promising not to return […]
Old Swiss money no longer valid from Friday
From Friday 30 April 2021, old Swiss bank notes will no longer be legal tender. This means they can no longer be used as a valid means of payment. The notes affected are old 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1,000 Swiss franc notes from the eight series pictured above. From 30 April 2021, the […]
Covid: vaccination open to all 18 and over in Swiss canton
This week, the canton of Vaud opened Covid-19 vaccination to all those 18 and over. According to a press release, large deliveries of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have made it possible to offer shots to anyone born before 2003. Rebecca Ruiz, a member of the canton’s executive said that it has become urgent to […]
Only 36% of Swiss own their homes
Recently published statistics show that 36% of homes are owned by those who live in them, a rate that falls to 12% in municipalities with more than 100,000 residents. Swiss municipalities with the highest rates of home ownership (37%) have between 10,000 and 15,000 residents, a rate exceeding the smallest municipalities of less than 10,000 […]
Covid: 14,100 new cases in Switzerland this week
This week, saw 14,110 new Covid-19 cases in Switzerland, down 5% from a week before (14,856). The 7-day average is currently 2,015 new daily cases, down from 2,122 last week. There were 63 Covid-19 deaths this week, up from 53 last week. By 23 April 2021, 9.6% of Switzerland’s population was fully vaccinated, up from […]
Switzerland’s small farmers support vote to ban pesticides
Pesticides are a hot political topic in Switzerland. On 13 June 2021, there are two votes centred on tightly restricting their use. This week Switzerland’s small farmers announced their support for a nationwide ban on synthetic pesticide use. Synthetic pesticides include agrochemicals containing compounds that do not occur in nature. The ban would be applied […]
Swiss government signs deal with Roche for new Covid drug
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have come up with a monoclonal antibody treatment for Covid-19, which Switzerland’s federal government has agreed to buy, according to RTS. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced the deal this week without disclosing the terms of the deal. The government has agreed to buy 3,000 doses, […]
Nearly 7% of Swiss primary school children repeat a year
Schools around the world hold struggling pupils back to give them a second chance to master knowledge. Switzerland is no exception. Recent data show that 6.7% of primary school pupils repeated a year during their years at primary school (2012-2018) with significant differences between gender and canton. In Switzerland, education is run by the nation’s […]
Covid: 80% of nation must be immunised to stop spread, says Swiss health minister
This week, Alain Berset, Switzerland’s health minister said that 80% of the population must be immunised for the virus to stop spreading, according to RTS. Vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is voluntary in Switzerland. Currently, estimates suggest only 60% of Switzerland’s population is prepared to be vaccinated, according to Berset, a figure below the level […]
