Swiss business and farming groups are stepping up calls for a rollback of red tape, warning that an expanding regulatory burden is stifling productivity just as labour shortages intensify. They are urging the Federal Council and parliament to act before the end of the current legislative term. At a press conference in Bern, economiesuisse, the […]
Poverty in prosperous Switzerland refuses to fall
Despite its wealth and generous welfare system, Switzerland has struggled recently to make meaningful progress in reducing poverty. In 2023, some CHF 15bn in social transfers trimmed Switzerland’s underlying poverty rate from nearly a third of the population (31.7%) to 8.1%, according to the country’s first comprehensive national poverty study. That share has barely moved […]
Swiss farmers resist new US tariff deal
Markus Ritter, president of the Swiss Farmers’ Association, is calling for measures to shield agriculture after Switzerland’s new tariff agreement with the United States, reported SRF. The deal will grant duty-free quotas for American beef, poultry and buffalo meat—concessions that Ritter views with concern. In an interview with Sonntagsblick, he acknowledged the political logic of […]
Switzerland’s 13th pension timing confirmed
On 11 November 2025 the Federal Council confirmed that AHV compensation offices will pay a thirteenth old-age pension for the first time in December 2026, as a supplement to that month’s pension, reported SRF. The extra payment will amount to one-twelfth of a recipient’s annual pension. Child and supplementary pensions, as well as the transition-generation […]
Home ownership in Switzerland continues to elude most
In Switzerland, the majority of households continue to rent. A recent survey by Comparis, together with the country’s largest real-estate portal, finds that 57 % of Swiss adults live in rented accommodation; for those aged 18-35 the figure rises to 68 %. Only 24 % of respondents own a house, and 12.5 % an apartment. […]
Swiss car insurance: premiums set to rise again in 2026
Swiss motorists face another increase in car-insurance premiums next year. A survey by Comparis of 13 major insurers indicates that most intend to raise rates in 2026, citing higher repair costs, more expensive spare parts and a rise in weather-related damage. Several insurers—including Generali, Zurich Switzerland, Allianz, PostFinance, TCS and Bâloise—report an inflation in claims […]
Switzerland may be close to securing improved 15% US tariff deal
Switzerland may be close to securing a 15% tariff on its exports to the US, in what would be a relief for the country after it was hit with a punishing 39% levy in August, according to people familiar with the matter, reported Bloomberg. A deal may be concluded within weeks, said the people, who declined […]
Swiss Greens’ vote on compulsory solar panels clears signature hurdle
A popular initiative by Switzerland’s Green Party to make solar panels mandatory on most rooftops has gathered more than 100,000 signatures, enough to trigger a national vote once the federal chancellery formally validates them, reported RTS. The proposal seeks to require the installation of photovoltaic systems on nearly all new and existing buildings, though exemptions […]
Swiss insurers overwhelmed by weight-loss drug demand
Switzerland’s health insurers are hiring extra staff—not to process claims for surgery or cancer care, but to handle a surge in requests for weight-loss injections, reported SRF. A survey by SRF’s consumer programme Espresso found that such requests now account for up to a third of all reimbursement applications at several major insurers. At CSS, […]
Swiss government warns of tax losses from socialist inheritance-tax initiative
Switzerland’s Federal Council has warned that a proposal by the Young Socialists could lead to substantial tax losses and drive wealthy residents abroad, reported RTS. On Monday, it launched its campaign against the “For the Future” initiative, which will go to a vote on 30 November 2025. The initiative, officially titled “For a socially just […]
