Lawmakers from the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) have tabled a motion to tighten language requirements for naturalisation, reports RTS. They want applicants for a Swiss passport to demonstrate B2 oral and B1 written competence in one of the national languages — a higher bar than at present. Under current federal rules, candidates must be able […]
Switzerland moves to tighten asylum policy
Parliament has approved two Liberal Democrat (PLR/FDP) motions aimed at tightening Switzerland’s asylum regime, reported RTS. The first seeks to encourage the voluntary departure of asylum seekers. The Council of States silently endorsed a National Council motion instructing the Federal Council to introduce a system of targeted incentives and clearly defined sanctions. One element would […]
Switzerland leads much of rich world in integrating immigrants, says the OECD
Immigrants are more successfully integrated into Switzerland’s labour market than in most other rich countries, according to a study commissioned by the State Secretariat for Migration. At 77%, the employment rate among immigrants in Switzerland is well above the OECD average across its 38 member states, which include Germany, France, Britain and the United States. […]
A new battle over the veil in Swiss schools
A campaign to ban the Islamic headscarf from all public schools has resurfaced in Switzerland, pushing a local controversy onto the national stage. On Monday a right-leaning group linked to the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) submitted a petition in Bern bearing 12,000 signatures, reported RTS. The petition follows a heated debate that began last summer […]
Residents of Bern’s stretched homeless shelters mostly from abroad
Bern’s emergency shelters are under strain—and most of those using them are not Swiss. A new regulation introduced in October 2025 by the canton of Bern restricts access to emergency accommodation to people with valid papers, in an effort to ration scarce spaces. The measure, intended to ensure that limited places go to those legally […]
Homeless in Bern: no papers, no shelter
In Bern this winter, homeless people without residence permits may have nowhere to sleep but the streets, reports SRF. A new regulation from the canton restricts access to emergency shelters to those with valid papers—a move the city calls inhumane and short-sighted. Last winter up to 60 people slept rough in Bern each night as […]
15% of Switzerland’s population struggles with literacy
Around 15% of Switzerland’s population aged between 16 and 65—some 844,000 people—struggle with reading, writing, numeracy and basic problem-solving. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), drawing on OECD data, these adults tend to earn less, participate less in the workforce and report lower levels of well-being and social engagement than those with stronger skills. […]
Health premiums and immigration top Swiss concerns in 2025
Health-insurance premiums and immigration remain the two biggest political concerns for Swiss voters, though both are less prevalent than last year, according to the latest SSR electoral barometer. Relations with the European Union, housing shortages and the economy have gained ground. Health costs top the list of challenges, cited by 40% of respondents. Immigration follows […]
Swiss People’s Party registers vote to tighten asylum rules
Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) has filed a new initiative “To protect borders”. The proposal, backed by 110,000 signatures, demands systematic checks at Swiss frontiers and tighter asylum rules, reported RTS. Anyone entering Switzerland would face controls. If such checks conflict with international treaties, the Federal Council would be required to renegotiate them—or, failing […]
VAT not salary tax to fund higher pensions
This week, Switzerland’s lower house has narrowly backed a temporary VAT rise to finance the country’s new 13th month of state pension, reported SRF. Wage contributions are off the table and the National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, agreed only to lift VAT by 0.7 percentage points until the end of 2030. That vote puts an end […]
