Each generation, it seems, is a little less religious than the one before. New figures from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) suggest that although parents remain the main conduit of religious affiliation, the transmission is weakening over time. Christmas services still draw respectable crowds. For much of the rest of the year, however, pews […]
Schools close as Vaud’s teachers extend strikes
Teachers in the canton of Vaud have intensified their strike over the canton’s austerity plan, forcing the closure of numerous schools and disrupting classes for weeks, reported SRF. The canton faces a sizeable deficit in its 2026 budget, prompting the government to introduce a package of cost-cutting measures. Christelle Luisier Brodard, the finance minister and […]
Switzerland to tighten rules on military service for dual nationals
Switzerland’s parliament has voted to make it harder for dual nationals to sidestep the country’s military obligations, reported RTS. On Wednesday the National Council adopted, in amended form, a motion already approved by the upper house. It will now return to the Council of States, Switzerland’s parliament, for further consideration. The original proposal, put forward […]
Switzerland’s fertility rate has fallen to a record low
Swiss women had, on average, 1.29 children in 2024—the lowest level since records began, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported on Monday. The share of people who do not want children is rising too. Among 20- to 29-year-olds the proportion declaring no desire for children rose from 6% in 2013 to 17% in 2023. For […]
Swiss Reformed Church follows Catholics and launches sexual abuse inquiry
Switzerland’s Protestant church is to commission an independent inquiry into sexual and spiritual abuse within its ranks. On Monday the parliament of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland voted unanimously to instruct its council to launch a scientific investigation into the issue, reported RTS. The synod approved funding of up to CHF 250,000 for the […]
Swiss road deaths rise as Europe’s fall
Switzerland’s road deaths have risen by a third over the past five years, even as fatalities have fallen across much of Europe. The country’s accident-prevention bureau (BPA) on Tuesday lamented the trend and called for a more coherent road-safety policy backed by all stakeholders. According to the BPA, the number of people killed on Swiss […]
Swiss young adults are leaving home later
Young adults in Switzerland are staying longer in the family home. Half of the population now leaves their parents’ household at an average age of 23.7, almost two years later than previous generations, according to figures published on Monday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The study compared people born between 1988 and 2007 with […]
Swiss primary-school enrolment set to fall sharply by 2034
Switzerland’s primary schools are expected to see a steep decline in pupil numbers over the coming decade, according to projections from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The number of primary pupils will begin to fall from 2027, dropping by about 7% between 2025 and 2034. The decline reflects a sharp fall in births since 2022. […]
Swiss school leader calls for social-media ban for minors
Social media should be banned for under-18s, argues the head of Switzerland’s association of German-speaking school principals, reported RTS. Thomas Minder, president of the association, says young people need stronger protection from the addictive pull of online platforms, comparing smartphone dependency to addictions to alcohol and tobacco. Even adults struggle to use these apps responsibly, […]
Swiss students rally against austerity fee hikes
Students staged protests across Switzerland on Wednesday against a plan to double university registration fees and other austerity measures in higher education, reported RTS. A petition with more than 37,000 signatures was handed to the Federal Chancellery in Bern. The fee rise forms part of the Federal Council’s 2027 budget-consolidation package. The Swiss Students’ Union […]
