By Carl Wahlers Depression, suicide and loneliness are key factors among men over 40 years old, particularly expatriate and retirement age professionals living in countries such as Switzerland. It is often difficult to develop social ties with local communities or to find purpose leaving afflicted individuals high and dry, reluctant or unable to seek help. Three […]
Church leavers doubled in Switzerland last year
The number of people leaving the Roman Catholic Church has exploded since a preliminary study on sexual abuse in the organisation was published in September 2023, reported SRF. However, revelations of abuse have not only affected the Roman Catholic Church. In 2023, around 40,000 people left Switzerland’s Reformed Church, a number close to a third […]
Rising mental distress among Swiss welfare recipients
A report published this week, shows welfare rates in 2023 were at their lowest in many years. At the same time, the percentage of those receiving welfare in mental distress is rising. Across the 14 cities included in the report, social assistance rates are lower than they have been for a long time. The number […]
Switzerland’s Socialist Party wants government to buy drug company
This week, the Socialist Party called on the Swiss government to buy Sandoz, a large maker of generic and biosimilar drugs, reported SRF. At a time when there are shortages of certain medicines, the party argues that profit maximising companies cannot be relied on to produce the drugs needed by the population at affordable prices. […]
Widespread discrimination and abuse in Swiss army revealed in survey
The results of a survey published on 31 October 2024 show widespread discrimination and abuse in Switzerland’s military. The survey was aimed at gauging the level of discrimination and abuse within the Swiss military and focused in particular on discrimination and abuse against women. Unlike men, women in Switzerland are not forced to do military […]
Switzerland exploring new form of burial
In Switzerland, 90% of people opt to have their remains cremated. The other 10% opt for burial. However, traditional burial contaminates soil and takes up valuable space. While cremation consumes significant energy and pollutes the air. Four women who created the organisation Werde Erde hope to make compost burial an option, reported SRF. When someone […]
Swiss government wants to invest more in bomb shelters
In 1962, Switzerland introduced a law that required underground bomb shelter space be constructed for all residents. Since then shelters have been built into houses and communal spaces have been built by municipalities for those living in a building without one. This week, the federal government announced plans to increase spending to renew and maintain […]
New government private jet scheduled for 2025
The jet is used by the Federal Council, Switzerland’s cabinet, and made the news in 2021 after forced landings led to missed diplomatic meetings in Anji in China and Tokyo in Japan. This week, the delivery date for a new jet was announced, reported SRF. The current plane, a 23-year-old Cessna Citation Excel 560XL, will […]
Rising number of Swiss report sleeping problems
In 2022, a third of Switzerland’s population suffered from challenges sleeping, up 5 percentage points from 1997, according to a survey by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The proportion of people with sleep disorders in Switzerland rose 5 percentage points over the 25 years between 1997 and 2022, with a significant rise starting in 2012. […]
Federal Council aims for winter Olympics in 2038 – seventh time lucky?
The last time the winter Olympics were in Switzerland was 1948 when they took place in St. Moritz. Since then Switzerland has not been a host despite being in the running six times. This week, Switzerland’s sports minister Viola Amherd said she would welcome the Winter Olympics in 2038, reported RTS. On Friday, the Federal […]
