Swiss state pensions have been in the news a lot recently. VAT increased on 1 January 2024 to help fund them, and two referenda on the subject are set for voting on 3 March 2024. This week, RTS published an article setting out the mathematical reality of Switzerland’s pension finances. Pensions in Switzerland, like in […]
More non-religious than Catholics in Switzerland
The shift away from religion continues to accelerate in Switzerland. By 2022, those belonging to no faith (34%) outnumbered Catholics (32%), protestants (21%) and other faith groups (12%). The only groups growing are the non-religious, Muslims and other forms of Christianity, according to statistics published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The percentage of the […]
Swiss doctor shortage – hardest hit regions
As the baby boomer generation retires staff shortages are emerging. Family doctors is one profession particularly hard hit due to training bottle necks and the challenges of the role. A report by RTS shows that the district of Franches-Montagnes in the Jura has one sixth of the per capita number of family doctors as Lausanne. […]
Rising prices – where Swiss are cutting back
Purchasing power has been hit much less in Switzerland than in other European nations. Between 2020 and 2023 food prices went up 6% in Switzerland. The same figure in Germany (+17%), UK (+40%) and Estonia (+43%) is much higher. At the same time, big ticket items like health insurance and rent have made a big […]
High Swiss rent – little support for rent controls
Rents have risen significantly in Switzerland, something potentially affecting the 61% of the population living in rented accommodation. A survey by Deloitte places rent control at the bottom of a list of solutions. The survey, which questioned 1,900 people across Switzerland, found rent controls to be the least preferred solution to dealing with rising rents […]
Swiss cabinet supports allowing double-barrelled surnames
Switzerland’s Federal Council supports the reintroduction of double-barrelled surnames for spouses and children, reported RTS. Double-barrelled names were abolished in Switzerland in 2013. Although many still use double surnames in Switzerland, they cannot be used on official documents such as passports or other identification documents. Questions surrounding surname syntax are surprisingly political in Switzerland. Double […]
Swiss government announces first spending cuts
Like many governments, Switzerland’s federal government is spending more than it collects in taxes and other revenues. However, a constitutional mechanism known as the debt brake limits how much the government can overspend. This means, in the absence of significant economic growth or higher tax rates, the government must cut spending. This week it outlined […]
Switzerland’s disappearing municipalities
By 1 January 2024, Switzerland had 2,131 municipalities (communes/Gemeinde), 162 fewer (-7%) than 10 years ago, reported RTS. With an average of around 4,000 residents per municipality, Switzerland still has a significant number of them. England, with a population of 57 million, has only 318 municipalities (mainly councils), which comes out at an average of […]
Swiss set to vote on changes to rental laws
Changes to Swiss law on renting recently passed by parliament have met with public resistance. This week, enough signatures were collected to trigger a vote aimed at overturning the work of parliament on rental law reform, according to RTS. The two changes, which would make it easier for landlords to move into their own properties […]
Brits abroad for more than 15 years can now vote
From 16 January 2024, British citizens living abroad are now eligible to register to vote in UK general elections, regardless of how long they’ve been living outside the UK. A new law passed in 2022, which came into force this week removes the previous 15-year time limit. The UK Electoral Commission is calling on voters […]
