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 […]
Majority of Swiss favour current deal with EU shows poll
A recent poll on the 25th anniversary of Switzerland’s current agreement with the EU shows a majority supports the agreements Switzerland has signed with the bloc. The poll run by gfs.bern for RTS shows that 73% believe Switzerland is better off with the current deal. Of the 73%, 8% say the agreement brings nothing but […]
End of lifelong widows’ pensions moves closer to reality
Pending new legislation means widows and widowers will soon receive a pension only until the youngest child reaches the age of 25. Currently, widows, but not widowers, receive a pension for life. For widowers the payments currently stop when the youngest child turns 18. This week, the Federal Council sent instructions to parliament to enact […]
Swiss government deficit shrinks further
This week, Switzerland’s federal government said it expects to run a deficit of CHF 900 million in 2024, a figure significantly below the original forecasted deficit of CHF 2.6 billion. The original figure has now dropped twice, once in June by CHF 1 billion and now by a further CHF 0.7 billion to CHF 0.9 […]
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 […]
How changing clocks back leads to more wildlife accidents
On 27 October 2024, daylight savings time ends when at 3am clocks are turned back one hour. However, this small change increases the number of collisions with wild animals on Swiss roads, reported SRF. In 2023, around 20,000 animals were hit on Swiss roads. Swiss motorists are most likely to hit a deer. In 2023, […]
Children most affected by poverty in Switzerland and need more assistance, says report
A study published this week found that nearly 1 in 20 (4.8%) people under 18 in Switzerland received social welfare in 2022, reported RTS. Children made up 33% of the total population on welfare. The report called for more money to ensure this group is sufficiently supported. The 76,000 children in Switzerland receiving social assistance […]
Swiss government against universal public service
Switzerland requires all able bodied men to dedicate around a year of their time to military service. To remove the gender discrimination inherent in the current system, some have proposed compulsory universal public service for both young men and young women. This week, the Federal Council rejected the idea, which is set to be put […]
Cutting Swiss tax free allowance sparks mixed reactions
From 2025, the tax free allowance for goods imported into Switzerland will fall from CHF 300 per person to CHF 150, decided the Federal Council this week. While some, such as Swiss retailers are happy with the change, many consumers and consumer associations are not. Politicians in St. Gallen and Thurgau, two cantons bordering on […]
Widespread hygiene deficiencies in Swiss hospitals
According to a study by Swissmedic, there are deficiencies in the disinfection, sterilisation, packaging and storage of medical products in Swiss hospitals. The recently published report based on a study done in 2023 by Swissmedic shows that almost all of the 25 Swiss hospitals inspected have deficiencies in the disinfection, sterilisation, packaging and storage of […]
