Switzerland may bid to host the 2038 Winter Olympics—despite a long record of public resistance, reports SRF. Voters rejected Olympic projects in cantonal referendums in 2013, 2017 and 2018—Graubunden twice then Valais. This time, however, the proposal is being advanced without a vote. The bid is being prepared by Swiss Olympic, which argues that past […]
Swiss canton to vote on cutting welfare payments after 2 years
On March 8, voters in Aargau will decide whether to reduce social assistance for people who have relied on welfare for more than two years, reports SRF. The proposal, launched by the youth wing of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), reflects a broader debate over how far social aid should go—and how hard it should […]
Swiss cantons push back against individual taxation
Most cantonal governments oppose Switzerland’s proposed shift to individual taxation, warning that it would be costly, administratively burdensome and unnecessarily centralising, reports SRF. Their resistance is strong enough that the Conference of Cantonal Governments has issued a rare joint statement urging voters to reject the reform in a referendum scheduled for March 8th. The change […]
Continued rise in number of fare evaders caught on Swiss public transport
The number of fare evaders caught on Switzerland’s public-transport network is increasing steadily. In 2024, 1.17m passengers were found travelling without a valid ticket, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Alliance SwissPass. That is well above the one-million mark crossed for the first time the previous year. The data, reported by various media […]
Swiss cohesion weakens but remains robust in everyday life
Social cohesion in Switzerland is weakening overall, but remains robust in everyday life. That is the picture painted by the second Cohesion in Switzerland barometer, published on Wednesday by the polling institute Sotomo. Respondents see direct democracy as the country’s most effective defence against fragmentation. According to the survey, external shocks—from wars and geopolitical tensions […]
Switzerland plans text alerts to supplement sirens
Switzerland’s annual test of its civil-defence sirens was largely successful. Nearly 99% of the country’s roughly 5,000 alarms functioned properly during the nationwide drill on Wednesday, according to the Federal Office of Civil Protection. The figure is broadly unchanged from last year. Cantons and municipalities have been instructed to repair or replace faulty equipment without […]
Swiss unemployment rises in January
Switzerland’s labour market weakened further at the start of 2026. The unemployment rate rose to 3.2% in January, up 0.1 percentage points from December, marking a second consecutive monthly increase after stagnating in November, according to data released by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The number of people registered with regional employment offices […]
Upcoming Swiss votes: one tight race, three clearer outcomes
With four federal proposals heading to a vote on March 8th, opinion polls suggest one contest remains finely balanced, while voters appear to have made up their minds on the other three. According to a mid-January survey commissioned by SRG, the initiative targeting the public broadcaster is deadlocked. By contrast, individual taxation commands broad support, […]
How some Swiss struggle to integrate in Switzerland
Internal migration across Switzerland’s linguistic borders sometimes tests local integration. In the canton of Fribourg, growing numbers of French-speakers are settling in German-speaking municipalities, drawn by cheaper housing and proximity to the canton’s capital. The shift is quietly reshaping local administration, schools and civic life, reports SRF. In villages such as Giffers and Tentlingen, construction […]
Swiss party seeks cap on primary school pupils not speaking language of instruction
Switzerland’s largest party, the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), wants to curb the number of pupils in primary school classes who do not speak the language of instruction, arguing that rising immigration is undermining primary education, reported SRF. Meeting in Näfels in the canton of Glarus, party delegates approved a set of demands billed as an […]
