Switzerland is becoming more politically polarised. The latest SRG election barometer shows support rising for parties on the left and right as the centre shrinks. It also reveals marked differences between men and women. The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) would win 29.9% of the vote if an election were held now, up two percentage points […]
French-speaking woman bids for Swiss cabinet seat from right-wing party dominated by German-speaking men
Céline Amaudruz, a vice-president of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and a member of Switzerland’s lower house, announced on Thursday that she would seek to succeed Guy Parmelin on the Federal Council, the country’s seven-member executive. The Geneva politician stressed the importance of keeping a French-speaking representative among her party’s ministers. Ms Amaudruz stands out […]
Swiss voters to decide on four federal proposals in November
Switzerland’s busy voting calendar continues. On 27 September, voters rejected initiatives on food production and neutrality. The next round is already on the horizon: on 29 November 2026, they will decide four federal proposals covering pension funding, fireworks restrictions, taxation of married couples and arms exports. Pension funding: raise VAT The proposal would raise value-added […]
Switzerland considers doubling police detention period after Bern riots
Police want more time to investigate violent protests. Human-rights groups fear that suspects’ legal protections could suffer. A year after a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Bern turned violent, Swiss lawmakers are moving to double the time suspects can be held in police custody. The riots in Bern on October 11th 2025 were unusually violent by Swiss […]
Swiss parties submit referendum to preserve ban on new nuclear power plants
An alliance of left-wing and centrist parties has submitted more than 131,800 signatures in an effort to prevent Switzerland from lifting its ban on building new nuclear power plants, reported Greenpeace. Representatives of the Socialist Party (SP), Greens, Green Liberals (GLP) and parts of the Centre Party submitted the signatures in Bern on Tuesday. The […]
Swiss minister defends VAT rise to fund higher state pension
Swiss social affairs minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider has defended a proposed increase in value-added tax (VAT) to help finance the 13th annual pension payment. Voters will decide on the measure in a referendum on November 29th. “A ‘no’ would have serious consequences,” Ms Baume-Schneider warned at a press conference in Bern, reported RTS. Without additional revenue, […]
Vaud’s vote to cut taxes won’t turn it into a tax haven
Voters in Vaud approved a 12% cut in income and wealth taxes on Sunday, with 53.1% backing the initiative. The measure will not turn the canton into a tax haven. Even after the cut, Vaud’s tax burden will remain above the national average. Vaud’s residents will continue to rank among the most heavily taxed in […]
Swiss health premiums rise again, but ageing is only part of the story
Swiss health-insurance premiums are going up again. Average compulsory premiums will rise by 5% in 2027, to CHF 412 (US$ 500) a month. Anyone wondering what they will pay next year can check the federal government’s premium calculator. One common explanation for the relentless increase is Switzerland’s ageing population. Older people consume more medical care, […]
Switzerland’s last execution—and the long road to abolition
Switzerland debated the death penalty for more than two centuries before it was abolished. Enlightenment thinkers questioned it in the 18th century, but executions continued into the 20th. The last civilian execution took place in 1940. Capital punishment disappeared from ordinary criminal law in 1942 and from military law in 1992. The new federal constitution, […]
More than 700 medicines face shortages in Switzerland
More than 700 medicines are currently affected by supply bottlenecks in Switzerland, according to drugshortage.ch, a platform run by Enea Martinelli, a hospital pharmacist. Mr Martinelli is also behind a popular initiative that would require the federal government to do more to secure the supply of medicines. The proposal, backed by a broad coalition from […]
