Despite Switzerland’s legendary levels of democracy, surprisingly few vote. At the last general election in 2019 only around 45% of voters voted. To encourage voter participation the canton of Schaffhausen fines those who don’t take the time to take part in democracy, reported SRF. Across Switzerland, since 1979, more than 49% of eligible voters have […]
Swiss still travelling less than before pandemic
In 2022, 88% of Switzerland’s population made at least one trip abroad which included an overnight stay of one night or more, reported the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week. Last year, Swiss residents made an average of 8 day trips and 2.6 trips with overnight stays, an increase of nearly 30% compared to the […]
The number of single-person households rising in Switzerland
At 37% of the total, one-person households are now the most common way to live in Switzerland, according to recently published data by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The data from 2022, show that 37% of households contained one person, followed by the 32% that contained two, 13% that contained three, 12% with four and […]
Switzerland’s largest pumpkin in 2023
Every year there is a competition to see who can grow the largest pumpkin. This year, 20 giant pumpkins and other oversized vegetables graced the scales at the Bächlihof in Jona, in eastern Switzerland. This year several records were broken. Matthias Leuenberger’s 2.4 kilogram aubergine and 45.8 kilogram courgette surpassed earlier records of 2.1 and […]
Sharp rise in people leaving the catholic church in Switzerland
Church goers in the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen have been leaving the catholic church at an accelerated pace recently, reported SRF this week. Churches in most of Switzerland’s cantons receive much of their funding from voluntary church taxes. The canton of Vaud is the exception. There all taxpayers automatically contribute to the funding […]
Switzerland’s population passes 9 million
Recently published data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show that Switzerland’s total population passed the 9 million mark at the end of June 2023, reported RTS. At the end of June 2023, 9,006,664 people were living in Switzerland. 8,902,308 were permanent residents and a further 104,356 were present on visas lasting no longer than […]
Switzerland’s catholic sex abuse investigation finds document destruction
In late 2021, the catholic church in Switzerland instructed historians to investigate sexual abuse within the organisation following evidence of widespread sexual abuse in the church in France. In May 2022 researchers from the University of Zurich started their investigation. This week they presented some of their results, reported RTS. The investigation marks the first […]
Switzerland celebrates 175 year anniversary of its Federal Constitution
On 12 September 2023, Switzerland’s parliament celebrated the 175th anniversary of the nation’s federal constitution. Exactly 175 years ago in 1848 Switzerland’s federal constitution came into force following political crisis and a war between protestants and catholics in 1847 known as the Sonderbund War. The new federal constitution gave the cantons sovereignty as long as […]
Swiss workers report fewer health risks compared to rest of Europe
A recently published survey shows 23% of employees in Switzerland reported a risk to safety or health due to their work in 2021, compared to a European average of 34%. In 2021, 23% of employees in Switzerland identified a risk to safety or health due to their work. The rate across Europe this was significantly […]
British climber found after 52 years in Saas Fee
In early August 2023, two mountaineers discovered human remains on the Chessjen glacier near Saas Fee. However, the identity of the individual was unknown until DNA test results provided an answer. Forensic analysis was done at a hospital in Valais. The work involved an investigation of unfound missing persons. An examination of the bones further […]
