While Switzerland is debating how to curb immigration, some of its own residents are considering a move in the opposite direction. According to a survey commissioned by Comparis, a price-comparison website, nearly one-third of adults in French-speaking Switzerland could imagine moving to France. Some 4.2% are already looking for a home there—equivalent, by the company’s […]
Geneva court suspends ban on full-cover swimwear
Long-sleeved swimwear may once again be worn in Geneva’s public swimming pools, at least temporarily, after a cantonal court suspended a ban introduced in May, reported various media. Geneva’s parliament, the Grand Council, approved the measure in March. It came into force on May 30 and prohibited swimwear covering both the arms and legs beyond […]
Geneva debates charging for access to its beaches
Gitana beach in Bellevue has begun charging visitors this summer, joining the small number of paid-access beaches on Lake Geneva. The new entrance fee of up to CHF 4 has reignited debate over whether people should have to pay to reach the lakeshore, particularly during the current heatwave, RTS reported. Some visitors welcome the charge, […]
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 […]
The people losing their homes in French-speaking Switzerland
Switzerland’s push to meet its climate targets is colliding with a severe housing shortage. In French-speaking regions, large-scale evictions linked to energy renovations are becoming more common, leaving hundreds of tenants scrambling for new homes, reports RTS. In Geneva, 107 tenants on Boulevard Carl-Vogt received termination notices in January, reported the broadcaster. In Lausanne, 16 […]
Geneva public-sector workers threaten strike over budget cuts
Public-sector workers in Geneva have issued a strike notice for April 23rd in protest against expected cuts in the cantonal budget, reported RTS. On Thursday evening the general assembly of the Cartel Intersyndical, an umbrella group of unions, also approved plans for a demonstration a week earlier. The cantonal government is due to present a […]
International Geneva in Crisis: Where do we go from here?
A report by Swiss broadcaster RTS looks at the impact large budget cuts at the United Nations are having on the canton of Geneva, home to the UN in Europe. RTS describes the resulting lay-offs as one of the most significant in Geneva’s history, reaching as many as 7,000 direct job losses. These jobs support […]
French government decides not to halve unemployment benefits for cross-border workers
Several hundred thousand French residents work in Switzerland. These workers pay unemployment insurance in Switzerland. However, their unemployment benefits, should they find themselves out of work, are covered by the French administration. In November 2023, French authorities announced a plan to cut the amount they pay to unemployed cross-border workers. This week, several French parliamentarians […]
Swiss court hands heavy sentences to accused 1MDB fraudsters
Two directors of the company Petrosaudi were given heavy sentences this week by Switzerland’s federal criminal court in Bellinzona, reported RTS. The court ordered two men to repay the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB nearly two billion US dollars, an amount made up of the missing US$ 1.75 billion plus 5% interest. In addition, they […]
Recent cold threatens Swiss grape harvest
The severe drop in temperatures across Switzerland last week froze large areas of wine grape vines. Parts of Vaud and Geneva have been particularly hard hit, reported RTS. Wine growers now fear for their coming grape harvest. While it is too soon to quantify potential harvest damage, one farmer in the canton of Geneva reported […]
