On 15 December 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Council approved a draft negotiating mandate with the EU. Negotiations should begin as soon as the EU and Swiss government definitively approve the mandate, reported SRF. The draft mandate is the result of around 70 meetings between Switzerland and the EU at various levels.The document creates the conditions required […]
Switzerland’s cabinet changes at a glance
This week, votes were cast to reshape Switzerland’s cabinet, known as the Federal Council. The high profile Alain Berset, minister of health during the Covid-19 pandemic, was replaced and a new chancellor was elected, reported SRF. Beat Jans, Basel-Stadt Socialist Party district president Beat Jans will succeed Alain Berset and Viola Amherd will be Federal […]
Swiss widows pensions to be cut to remove discrimination
The rules around state pensions for widows and widowers are significantly different, something deemed discriminatory by a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2022. To remove the discrimination, the federal government plans to cut pensions for widows to bring them into line with those for widowers. Currently, women get a lifelong […]
International Olympic Committee drops Swiss bid
The Winter Olympics will not take place in Switzerland in 2030, decided the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week, reported SRF. The IOC said it is refusing to allow the Swiss project to enter the next application phase, known as targeted dialogue. This means France will almost certainly be awarded the games for 2030, with […]
Sharp rise in tenancy disputes in Switzerland
The number of tenancy disputes in Switzerland jumped 42% in the first half of 2023 compared to the second half of 2022, reported the government this week. Across Switzerland a total of 17,519 tenancy or lease arbitration proceedings were initiated between January and June 2023. The rising number of disputes follows rent hikes, often triggered […]
Swiss politics poorly aligned with science
A study published this week highlights a significant disconnect between Switzerland’s scientists and politicians during the Covid-19 pandemic, reported SRF. Science and politics did not work together sufficiently during the Covid-19 pandemic, wrote the authors of the NRP 78 report. The partnership between the scientific community and government institutions was not sufficiently developed to withstand […]
The head of Switzerland’s Green party resigns
In Switzerland’s recent federal election the Green Party lost significant ground, its share of votes sliding from 14% to 10%. A significant number of former Green voters voted instead for the Socialist Party, Switzerland’s other main left leaning party. Others appear to have shifted to the centre or right. The Liberal Green Party, a right leaning […]
Swiss government aiming for EU negotiating mandate by year end
Switzerland in not a member of the EU. However, via a series of deals it operates to a large extent as a member would. Brussels put pressure on Switzerland to replace these deals with a single agreement giving Switzerland less wiggle room. In May 2021, Switzerland said no to the deal on the table. On […]
Swiss government wants to cut broadcasting fee
Switzerland, like the UK, charges households an essentially unavoidable broadcasting fee. The money raised is used to fund public news and entertainment. However, the fee is divisive. Some view it as a necessity to ensure the public is well informed. Others see its unavoidable nature as an affront to personal liberty. A public vote to […]
Federal election – Swiss government shifts right
The Swiss People’s Party (SVP/UDC), Switzerland’s most popular party, garnered even more votes than it did in 2019, mainly at the expense of the Green Party. On 22 October 2023, the SVP/UDC received 27.9% of votes, winning 62 of the 200 seats in Switzerland’s federal parliament. In second place was the Socialist Party, with 18.3% […]
