Across Europe, young people are taking to the streets. Some protest peacefully; others turn to violence. They say they are angry about uncertain job prospects, poor education and the high cost of living. Zurich and Basel have also seen protests and riots, and a large youth strike is planned for the end of November. Yet […]
School exchanges help bridge Switzerland’s language divide
Zurich and Vaud are expanding school exchanges as French lessons in Zurich’s primary schools come under political pressure, reports SRF. French teaching in primary schools is under pressure in German-speaking Switzerland. But Silvia Steiner and Frédéric Borloz, the education directors of Zurich and Vaud, are promoting exchanges between pupils at every level, writes SRF. Switzerland’s […]
Switzerland’s vote to ban firecrackers
For some, fireworks are a tradition worth preserving. For others, they are a noisy nuisance. On November 29th Swiss voters will decide whether to restrict their private use. The popular initiative was submitted by animal-welfare organisations. It seeks to protect people, animals and the environment from the noise and pollution fireworks produce. The proposal would […]
Swiss court clarifies shared custody and its financial consequences
Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has clarified the distinction between shared custody and extended visiting rights: each parent should normally provide more than 30% of a child’s regular care. A recent ruling explains how that share should be calculated—and why the distinction matters financially. Under sole custody, the parent with whom the child lives generally contributes […]
Swiss unions plan vote on 5,000-franc minimum wage for apprenticeship graduates
Anyone who has completed an apprenticeship in Switzerland should earn at least CHF 5,000 a month in full-time emplyment says the Swiss Trade Union Federation. It plans to launch a popular initiative to introduce this minimum pay level. Delegates at the federation’s congress in Bern on Friday backed the proposal by a large majority and […]
Switzerland’s polarised politics threaten to undo the 2027 budget
In an exceptionally rare decision, the National Council’s finance committee has recommended rejecting Switzerland’s federal budget for 2027. Federal finance experts could recall no previous instance of a finance committee rejecting a budget at this stage, SRF reported. An unusual alliance between Switzerland’s political extremes has come together to challenge the financial plan put forward […]
Matterhorn joins world geological heritage list
The Matterhorn is famous for its silhouette. Its geology now has global recognition, too. The mountain has joined the International Union of Geological Sciences’ (IUGS) list of geological heritage sites, the Swiss Academy of Sciences announced on Friday. The 4,478-metre peak above Zermatt is the third Swiss site to make the list. Established in 2022, […]
Prison terms after Zurich riots
Two young Swiss men face prison after disturbances in Zurich’s District 4 on the night of October 31st and the morning of November 1st. Prosecutors issued summary penalty orders imposing unsuspended sentences of six and four months on November 3rd. The orders are not yet final: both men may seek a court hearing and challenge […]
Ukrainian refugees struggle with life underground in Swiss bomb shelters
About 100 refugees have spent months living in civil-defence shelters in the Swiss canton of Vaud, reports RTS. The canton’s migrant reception agency lacks accommodation, and residents say life underground is damaging their health. One Ukrainian man in his 40s has been staying in a shelter in Clarens between Vevey and Montreux for several months. […]
America’s drug-price strategy could hit Swiss health-insurance premiums
Efforts to cut American drug prices could cost Swiss health-insurance premium payers hundreds of millions of francs a year, a new study finds. Drug prices in Switzerland are among the world’s highest. In America, they are higher still. The American government wants pharmaceutical companies to charge less for new medicines. For firms such as Roche […]
