In 2022, 26.1% of newly registered passenger vehicles in Switzerland were plug-in, up 3.6 percentage points from 22.5% in 2021. And the percentage of diesels fell from 17.4% to 11.4%, a drop of 6 percentage points. The percentage of fully electric cars – plug-in vehicles includes hybrids – rose even faster from 13.4% to 17.9%, […]
Why attacks on abortion rights have failed in Switzerland
Abortion rights are a hot political topic in the US and women’s access to them has been significantly reduced recently. Some political groups have tried to reduce access to abortion in Switzerland. However, their attempts have fallen flat. Why? Political scientist Cloé Jans at gfs.bern, a political research organisation, shared her views with SRF. In […]
Some Swiss teenagers will need to spend longer at school
In Switzerland, schooling is managed at a state or cantonal level. However, at the university level a mixture of state and federal institutions deliver courses, and students can move between cantons. This model of inter-cantonal tertiary eduction requires students to graduate from school with a universally agreed level of education. These university entrance diplomas are […]
Swiss government set to approve more favourable tax treatment for companies
On 28 June 2023, parliament agreed to extend the loss offsetting period for Swiss companies. In Switzerland, any losses made by companies can be offset against future profits for a limited period of time. Currently, the period is seven years. This week parliament agreed to extend this period to 10 years. Any losses generated in […]
Recycling upgrade: Switzerland to get milk in PET
Many municipalities in Switzerland do not offer recycling of the box-based packaging typically used for milk in Switzerland. Despite ecological proclamations and a papery look these boxes are a bit of a eco-wolf in environmentally friendly sheep’s clothing. They are made of a composite material that is difficult to separate into its constituent parts making […]
Swiss government agrees to help mothers hoping to work more
In Switzerland, mothers are far more likely to have paid work than they were 30 years ago. In 2021, 82% had paid employment compared to 60% in 1991. Over this period, Switzerland has moved from one of the lowest European rates of working mums to one of the highest. However, a sizeable employment gap remains […]
Alain Berset, Switzerland’s president resigns
On 21 June 2023, Alain Berset, Switzerland’s president and health minister officially resigned, reported SRF. He will finish at the end of 2023. The Socialist Party politician from the canton of Fribourg has been a Federal Councillor (minister) since 2012. He succeeded Micheline Calmy-Rey on 1 January 2012 and took up his current role after […]
Swiss electricity prices to rise further in 2024
This week, VSE, an electricity association, said pricey electricity markets will likely lead to even higher Swiss electricity prices in 2024. Prices rose on average by 27% (+6 cents/kWh) in Switzerland in 2023. In 2024 VSE expects them to rise by a further 12% (+3 cents/kWh). This would bring the average price to almost 30 […]
Switzerland’s enormous Covid cost revealed
On 21 June 2023, the government published figures on the direct health costs of the Covid pandemic. During 2020, 2021 and 2022, the federal government spent CHF 4.9 billion, the cantons up to CHF 2.9 billion and health insurers as much as CHF 1.4 billion. The CHF 9.2 billion total comes out at more than […]
Brienz rock slide – residents allowed back into village from Monday
The Swiss village of Brienz and the mountainside above it have been slowly sliding into the valley probably since the ice age. More recently the slope above the village started to move rapidly. On 9 May 2023, village residents were told they must evacuate by 6pm on 12 May 2023. Then during the night of […]
