Switzerland may be close to securing a 15% tariff on its exports to the US, in what would be a relief for the country after it was hit with a punishing 39% levy in August, according to people familiar with the matter, reported Bloomberg. A deal may be concluded within weeks, said the people, who declined […]
Swiss voters to decide on four issues in March 2026
Swiss citizens will head to the polls on March 8th 2026 to vote on four national measures: initiatives on cash, public broadcasting, and a climate fund, as well as a referendum on individual taxation, reported the government this week. Cutting the bill for public broadcastingThe “200 francs is enough” initiative, backed by the right-wing Swiss […]
Swiss Greens’ vote on compulsory solar panels clears signature hurdle
A popular initiative by Switzerland’s Green Party to make solar panels mandatory on most rooftops has gathered more than 100,000 signatures, enough to trigger a national vote once the federal chancellery formally validates them, reported RTS. The proposal seeks to require the installation of photovoltaic systems on nearly all new and existing buildings, though exemptions […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Gotthard Pass to close on Friday
With winter setting in, Switzerland’s Gotthard Pass and the hiking and cycling trail through the Schöllenen Gorge will shut for safety reasons. The closures, announced by the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO), take effect on November 7th, 2025. FEDRO said on Thursday that the Gotthard route between Hospental in Uri and Airolo in Ticino will be […]
The decline of truth as professional journalism faces an existential crisis
Disinformation and conspiracy theories, amplified by social media, are distorting minds at scale. At the same time, the rise of news deprivation—a world in which citizens are either cut off from reliable reporting or simply tune it out—has deepened public confusion and mistrust. This week, we looked at a study that shows nearly half of Switzerland’s population […]
Zurich court convicts pro-Palestinian activists of trespass
This week, five of the seven of the pro-Palestinian activists accused of taking part in an unauthorised demonstration after they occupied the main hall of ETH Zurich on May 31st, 2024 were convicted of trespassing by the Zurich District Court, reported SRF. Two others, in a separate trial, were cleared after judges found that no […]
Swiss retail staff push back against Sunday trading expansion
Retail workers in Switzerland are pushing back against plans to allow stores to open on up to 12 Sundays a year, up from the current four. A petition opposing the proposal was submitted to the Federal Chancellery in Bern on Thursday, backed by the unions Unia and Syna, which argue the change would worsen already […]
