Switzerland’s mortgage rates are rising. How much borrowers pay depends on where they are. Switzerland has one currency, but its mortgage market is far from uniform. In the third quarter of 2026, median ten-year fixed rates ranged from 1.62% in Central Switzerland to 2.15% in Valais, according to Resolve’s quarterly mortgage report. Geography matters because […]
French-speaking woman bids for Swiss cabinet seat from right-wing party dominated by German-speaking men
Céline Amaudruz, a vice-president of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and a member of Switzerland’s lower house, announced on Thursday that she would seek to succeed Guy Parmelin on the Federal Council, the country’s seven-member executive. The Geneva politician stressed the importance of keeping a French-speaking representative among her party’s ministers. Ms Amaudruz stands out […]
Fraud in Switzerland nearly doubled between 2022 and 2025
Crime has risen in Switzerland since 2022, led by a sharp increase in fraud, according to the Crime Survey 2025 by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the University of St Gallen. Most people nonetheless still regard the country as safe. Of those surveyed in 2025, 15.9% said they had been victims of […]
Swiss voters to decide on four federal proposals in November
Switzerland’s busy voting calendar continues. On 27 September, voters rejected initiatives on food production and neutrality. The next round is already on the horizon: on 29 November 2026, they will decide four federal proposals covering pension funding, fireworks restrictions, taxation of married couples and arms exports. Pension funding: raise VAT The proposal would raise value-added […]
Hundreds protest against Syngenta over pesticide pollution in Switzerland
Last weekend, around 300 demonstrators gathered outside Syngenta’s chemical plant in Monthey, Switzerland, on Saturday as part of an international day of action against the agrochemical giant under the banner “Stop Pesticides”. Protests also took place in Basel and several other countries, reported RTS. The protesters warned of the health risks associated with pesticides, including […]
The three winners of this year’s Swiss cheese awards
Switzerland crowns three cheese champions, celebrating a craft that combines tradition with commercial ambition. The Swiss take cheese seriously. So seriously, in fact, that choosing the country’s finest requires more than 200 judges, over 1,000 contenders and an expert panel to settle the final scores. At the 14th Swiss Cheese Awards in Fribourg, three cheesemakers […]
Switzerland considers doubling police detention period after Bern riots
Police want more time to investigate violent protests. Human-rights groups fear that suspects’ legal protections could suffer. A year after a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Bern turned violent, Swiss lawmakers are moving to double the time suspects can be held in police custody. The riots in Bern on October 11th 2025 were unusually violent by Swiss […]
Swiss parties submit referendum to preserve ban on new nuclear power plants
An alliance of left-wing and centrist parties has submitted more than 131,800 signatures in an effort to prevent Switzerland from lifting its ban on building new nuclear power plants, reported Greenpeace. Representatives of the Socialist Party (SP), Greens, Green Liberals (GLP) and parts of the Centre Party submitted the signatures in Bern on Tuesday. The […]
Swiss minister defends VAT rise to fund higher state pension
Swiss social affairs minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider has defended a proposed increase in value-added tax (VAT) to help finance the 13th annual pension payment. Voters will decide on the measure in a referendum on November 29th. “A ‘no’ would have serious consequences,” Ms Baume-Schneider warned at a press conference in Bern, reported RTS. Without additional revenue, […]
Crans-Montana fire: bar owners warned of danger years earlier
WhatsApp messages from 2019 suggest that Jacques and Jessica Moretti knew sparklers could set their bar alight, raising questions about whether they should face more serious criminal charges, reported RTS. Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the owners of Le Constellation, a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, warned staff about the risk of fire […]
