A Swiss man arrested in Morocco in connection with the brutal murder of two Scandinavian tourists has a criminal record and is suspected of being radicalised, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. The man from Geneva has a criminal record for crimes committed between 2007 and 2013. His crimes include drug offenses, theft, burglary, property […]
New year swim in chilly Lake Geneva attracts 120 swimmers
On 1 January 2019, around 120 brave souls took the plunge into the cool waters (7 degrees) of Lake Geneva. The event, which started 22 years ago, kicked off around midday with a champagne celebration. According to Le Matin, the event was started by a local resident from Lapland in 1997. The first year, there […]
Vaccination against tick borne encephalitis now covered by Swiss health insurance
In the face of a rapid rise in the number of infections, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has confirmed to various newspapers that vaccination against tick borne encephalitis is now covered by basic Swiss health insurance. In 2018, 377 cases of infection were recorded, 40% more than in 2017 and three times […]
Renewal of Swiss residence permits now depends on good behaviour and integration
From 1 January 2019, the rules around renewing Swiss residence permits are different. The change, decided last year, grants renewals only if certain requirements are met. These include respect for the constitution and its values, respect for public order, participation in economic life1 or education, and competency in the local language. Language competence will be […]
Swiss VAT now applied to more foreign online purchases from 1 January 2019
In 2016, Switzerland’s government decided to tighten the VAT exemption on imported purchases, a move that affects most online orders from foreign retailers. The new rules took effect on 1 January 2019 – they were originally planned for 1 January 2018 but systems and processes were not ready. Until the beginning of this year, any […]
Switzerland’s new president for 2019
In Switzerland, the position of president is ceremonial. Switzerland’s executive is led jointly by all seven members of the Federal Council, also known as les sept sages (the seven wise ones) by French speakers. The ceremonial role of the president rotates annually among Federal Council members. In addition to the diplomatic duties of the president, […]
Swiss residence permits to be replaced with new cards the size of a credit card
The government decided last month that the paper residence permits currently issued to some foreigners are to be replaced by forgery-proof cards the size of a credit card. Chips will not be included on the new cards. The required legal changes will be complete by 1 April 2019. The card will contain the permit holder’s […]
Police warn of fake Swiss franc notes
Since the beginning of December 2018 more and more counterfeit 100 Swiss franc notes have been appearing in the Swiss canton of Valais in and around Sion and Conthey. The fake notes, which the local Police say can be spotted if compared to real ones, have been making their way into circulation via shopping centres, […]
Question: Many parents hope their children will have lots of choice in life. But is this a recipe for happiness?
Dan Gilbert, the author of “Stumbling on Happiness,” challenges this idea. Gilbert thinks choice is the enemy of happiness and cites research to support his conclusions. For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Agism most frequent form of discrimination in Switzerland, according to survey
Growing old is something that happens to nearly all of us. However, according to a recent study close to one in three people (28%) reported age-related discrimination in Switzerland in 2017. The rate of age discrimination (28%) is higher than sexism (22%) and racism (12%), according to Christian Maggiori, a professor focused on social work […]
