In March 2024 Swiss voters approved, by 58%, a plan to grant pensioners a 13th monthly payment. That set off a quarrel over how to fund it. This week the National Council’s social-security committee backed a scheme to finance the extra benefit solely through a 0.7 percentage point rise in value-added tax, reported SRF. The […]
Swiss court drops appeal against Platini and Blatter acquittal
Switzerland’s federal prosecutor will not challenge the acquittal of Michel Platini and Joseph Blatter, the former heads of UEFA and FIFA, reported RTS. The ruling, which cleared them of fraud, breach of trust, mismanagement and forgery, is now final. By accepting the verdicts at both trial and appeal, the prosecutor has closed another chapter of […]
If we give in, Trump will demand more, says Swiss political scientist
Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten to dent Swiss exports. They have also sparked what Joseph de Weck, a Swiss historian and political scientist, calls an identity crisis in a country long used to navigating between great powers. Mr Trump treats trade deficits as the source of almost every American ill—debt, deindustrialisation, even the opioid crisis. Tariffs […]
Swiss business and environmentalists warn against scrapping imputed rent
Switzerland’s parliament wants to scrap Switzerland’s quirky taxable imputed rental on owner-occupied homes. A vote on 28 September 2025 to impose a new tax on holiday homes is the first step to scrapping this taxable fictional rent. But there is a catch: the change would end most deductions for mortgage interest, home maintenance and environmental […]
Swiss jobs market: more workers, more jobless
Switzerland’s labour market looked both buoyant and brittle in the second quarter of 2025. Employment edged up, but unemployment did too, according to a report published by the Federal Statistical Office this week. The number of people in work rose by 0.6% year on year to 5.36m, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Adjusted for […]
Revitalizing the UN: Lessons from 102-Year-Old Edith
By Peter Hulm Uncover the remarkable journey of Edith Ballantyne, a 102-year-old pioneer in UN revitalization. From teenage refugee to influential diplomat, her insights on global governance and peace are timeless and inspiring. “The UN as an organization, or an international instrument of that kind, is absolutely essential.” That was in 2015 at the age […]
Bern rejects extra emergency-room charge
This week, Bern decided patients who turn up at accident-and-emergency units with trivial complaints should not face extra charges, reported RTS. On Wednesday it rejected a parliamentary proposal to let cantons impose a levy on such visits, arguing it would add bureaucracy without easing pressure on hospitals. The idea came from Thomas Weibel, a former […]
Bern to have more control during the next pandemic
Much time has passed since the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the Swiss government has not forgotten the challenges the country faced trying to coordinate the efforts of cantonal and federal authorities to manage the situation. This week, Bern set out draft laws governing how decisions will be made during future pandemics, reported RTS. Switzerland must be […]
Reimagining International Geneva: A Blueprint for Renewal
By Edward Girardet Our first article explored the extent of Switzerland’s “International Geneva” crisis. Part II sees how this could be turned into opportunity. Geneva can still reassert itself as a relevant global hub. Our first article laid bare the extent of Switzerland’s “International Geneva” crisis. Part II explores how adversity could be turned into […]
The F-35 fiasco – price hikes, tariffs, and US intransigence
Washington has refused to guarantee a fixed price for Switzerland’s 36 F-35 fighter jets, reported RTS. The total bill will therefore exceed the CHF 6 billion approved by voters. After weeks of talks with senior White House officials—including a call between America’s defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, and Switzerland’s defence minister, Martin Pfister—the United States has […]
