Switzerland’s government is pressing ahead with plans to raise the minimum annual health-insurance deductible from CHF 300 to CHF 400, reports RTS. The proposal has exposed familiar political divisions: parties on the right and health insurers support it, while the left, trade unions and cities oppose it. The Centre Party and the cantons occupy a […]
Swiss rent control initiative passes signature hurdle
This week, the Swiss Tenants’ Association submitted a popular initiative aimed at curbing rents after collecting more than 140,000 signatures. The proposal would require rents to be reviewed automatically at regular intervals. If a review found rents to be too high, landlords would be obliged to reduce them. The initiative is backed by an alliance […]
Is Switzerland reliving the infamous summer of 2003?
Switzerland is enduring its tenth consecutive day of temperatures above 30°C, placing this June among the hottest on record. The month began cool but turned hot. Temperatures rose sharply from the middle of the month, with much of the country surpassing 30°C on June 16th and 17th. The prolonged heat invites comparisons with the exceptional […]
Half of Swiss voters are now over 60
Switzerland’s electorate is ageing rapidly. New calculations by the liberal think tank Avenir Suisse show that the median age of those who vote in nationwide referendums is now about 60. In other words, half of active voters are older than 60. Since 2000 the median age has risen by seven years. That makes the active […]
Swiss government trims defence tax increase
The Swiss government has scaled back—but not abandoned—its plan to raise value-added tax (VAT) to finance higher defence spending. In January the Federal Council proposed a temporary 0.8-percentage-point increase in the standard VAT rate to help fund Switzerland’s growing security needs. Following a public consultation, it has reduced the proposed rise to 0.5 percentage points. […]
Swiss food-security initiative rejected by government
Food security occupies a special place in Swiss political culture. During the second world war, Switzerland launched the Wahlen Plan, a drive to expand domestic food production in anticipation of a possible blockade. The programme became part of the country’s collective memory and continues to shape debates about agriculture. Advocates of greater self-sufficiency frequently invoke […]
Swiss parliament leaves extra state pension only partly funded
The Swiss parliament has agreed only a partial funding plan for the new 13th annual state-pension payment, reported RTS. After lengthy wrangling, the National Council backed an increase in value-added tax (VAT) but rejected higher payroll contributions, leaving much of the additional cost uncovered. The National Council voted to raise VAT by 0.4 percentage points. […]
Childlessness and smaller families driving down fertility in Switzerland
Switzerland recorded fewer births and marriages in 2025, extending demographic trends that have become increasingly pronounced over the past decade. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 78,200 children were born in Switzerland in 2025, around 100 fewer than a year earlier. Although the decline was marginal, it marked the fourth consecutive annual fall in […]
Railway near-miss exposes Switzerland’s language challenge
Switzerland is often held up as a model of multilingualism. In August 2025, however, its linguistic diversity nearly led to a railway collision. The incident received widespread attention only after the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SESE) published its report in June 2026. Two Swiss Rail trains came close to colliding at Neuchâtel-Vauseyon after a […]
Swiss vote to restrict civilian-service alternative for young men
Young Swiss men will soon face tighter restrictions on opting for civilian service instead of compulsory military duty after voters approved a reform in Sunday’s referendum (Yes: 52.5%; No: 47.5%). The new rules are expected to enter into force in mid-2027. Swiss civilian service was approved by voters in 1992 and introduced in 1996 for […]
