This weekend Switzerland holds a federal election. However, young Swiss are less likely to go to the polls than their older compatriots. Why is this? A political scientist who spoke to SRF offers insights. Data from the last federal election four years ago show a particularly low turnout among those aged between 18-24 and 25-34. […]
Bern professor dismissed after praising Hamas
This week, a professor at the University of Bern was dismissed after publishing messages on X praising the attacks on Israelis by Hamas, reported RTS. On Tuesday, the university announced its decision to terminate the professor’s employment, describing the incident as unacceptable while underlining that it condemns all forms of violence. In addition, the university […]
Immigration: Swiss population will say stop at some point
In a recent interview, Guy Parmelin, a Swiss Federal Councillor and former president, said that at some point the population will say stop, referring to immigration, reported SRF. In the interview, Parmelin, a Federal Councillor and member of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP/UDC) was unusually blunt regarding Switzerland’s politics of immigration, something his party has […]
More than 90 members of Swiss parliament defending healthcare
After the United States, Switzerland has the world’s second most costly healthcare. Cost-saving reforms put forward by the health minister over many years have yielded little. Last week, average compulsory health insurance premiums rose the most in more than a decade. This week, an investigation by the newspaper SonntagsZeitung (NZZ), revealed 90 parliamentarians working as […]
Sharp rise in people leaving the catholic church in Switzerland
Church goers in the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen have been leaving the catholic church at an accelerated pace recently, reported SRF this week. Churches in most of Switzerland’s cantons receive much of their funding from voluntary church taxes. The canton of Vaud is the exception. There all taxpayers automatically contribute to the funding […]
Swiss parliament votes in favour of new law banning face covering
It will soon be illegal to cover faces in public in Switzerland after the federal parliament voted in favour of a ban, reported RTS. With 151 versus 29 votes, parliament accepted new laws drafted in response to a successful vote known as the anti-burka referendum. On 7 March 2021, a vote to ban face covering was accepted […]
Switzerland celebrates 175 year anniversary of its Federal Constitution
On 12 September 2023, Switzerland’s parliament celebrated the 175th anniversary of the nation’s federal constitution. Exactly 175 years ago in 1848 Switzerland’s federal constitution came into force following political crisis and a war between protestants and catholics in 1847 known as the Sonderbund War. The new federal constitution gave the cantons sovereignty as long as […]
Swiss politicians and voters care about different things
Democracy is built around the idea of political candidates promising policies that voters want. A recent survey suggests there are significant differences between what Swiss voters and political candidates consider important. According to the survey run by gfs.berne based on responses collected in April and May this year, several topics that have received significant political […]
Government discusses creating a 27th canton for Swiss abroad
Around 800,000 Swiss citizens live outside Switzerland, and around a quarter of them report wanting to play an active part in Switzerland’s politics, according to an organisation representing Swiss abroad. Given this high number, some of Switzerland’s political parties advocate creating a political entity equivalent to a 27th canton to better represent this group. Switzerland’s […]
Enough signatures collected for vote on Swiss radio and TV licence
On 10 August 2023, the organisers of an initiative aimed at reducing the price of Switzerland’s radio and television licence submitted 128,000 signatures to the Federal Chancellery for validation. 100,000 is the minimum number of signatures required to hold a popular vote at the federal level in Switzerland. The initiative follows a failed referendum to […]
