After decades of concern about rising childhood obesity, Switzerland may finally be bending the curve. A new nationwide body-mass-index survey suggests that the proportion of overweight children has declined modestly over the past 15 years, particularly among younger pupils. Yet the improvements are uneven and social inequalities remain stark. The study, published by Promotion Santé Suisse, […]
Sharp rise in Swiss bankruptcies not what it seems
Swiss corporate bankruptcies surged in 2025, but the country’s economy is not necessarily collapsing. Much of the increase stems instead from a legal reform that has made it easier to force insolvent firms into formal bankruptcy proceedings. According to figures released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 13,612 bankruptcy proceedings were opened last year under […]
Geneva to vote on shopping hours and secularism
Voters in the canton of Geneva will head to the polls on June 14th to decide two distinctly Genevan questions: whether shops should open more often on Sundays and whether elected officials should be barred from wearing visible religious symbols in parliament. The first referendum concerns retail opening hours. At present, shops in Geneva may […]
Most Swiss primary pupils perform well, according to assessment
Swiss schools appear to be succeeding at their most basic task. According to a nationwide assessment published by Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, the overwhelming majority of children in the fourth year of HarmoS schooling—the equivalent of second grade in primary school—meet national standards in mathematics and language skills. The survey, conducted in […]
Switzerland almost the worst nation in Europe on tobacco control
For a country that prides itself on public health and regulatory competence, Switzerland performs strikingly poorly in the fight against smoking. According to a new European ranking on tobacco-control policies, the country places 36th out of 37 states assessed—ahead only of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ranking, highlighted by the Swiss Association for Tobacco Control, places […]
FILM: BITTER CHRISTMAS **1/2 – the latest Almodovar
22 May 2026 A SPECIAL one- night cinematic EVENT!TERRESTRIAL VERSES (Chroniques de Téhéran)with French subtitles Save the date! Thursday MAY 28th – at the Grütli Cinemas, 20.30h Not to be missed: Ali Asghari and Alireza Khatami’s brilliant look at the decades of frustration endured by the citizens of Iran under the Islamic regime. Through a series […]
Swiss Rail to expand offer to Italy and France
Swiss Rail is betting that Swiss travellers want more access to neighbouring Europe. Its proposed 2027 timetable, due to take effect on December 13th, places greater emphasis on international routes, with improved services to Paris and northern Italy, reported RTS. The most notable improvement concerns the route between Lausanne and Paris. From April 5th 2027 […]
Swiss petition targets Starlink expansion in the Alps
Nearly 15,000 people have signed a petition urging Switzerland’s federal government to halt plans for a major SpaceX Starlink ground station in the canton of Valais. Campaigners say the project would hand excessive influence over Swiss communications infrastructure to Elon Musk and expose the country to geopolitical risk. On May 21st a coalition led by […]
“Snow of May” – Swiss narcissus season in full bloom
The spring narcissus bloom in Switzerland’s riviera region, a star tourist attraction of the Belle Epoque – the 30 to 40 years before the war in 1914 – was described as the “snow of May” by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The book is about two lovers who reunite in Switzerland […]
Language requirements for Swiss citizenship and visas – what you need to know
Brought to you by Swiss French School. On 1 January 2019, Switzerland’s federal government tightened and harmonised the rules on language requirements to qualify for some residence permits, B and C permits in particular, and naturalisation. Before 2019, formal testing of language ability was not typical. Since then it has been formalised and standardised across cantons […]
