In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Max Beeler, a man who claimed there was gender discrimination regarding pension payments to widows and widowers in Switzerland. This week, the government formalised changes removing the inequality of treatment of bereaved men and women. Currently, women receive a widower’s pension for life […]
Swiss government approves blow out budget for 2024
On 28 June 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Council approved a budget for 2024 with a deficit of CHF 6.7 billion. Switzerland’s constitution includes a section designed to constrain spending to prevent the government from living beyond its means. The debt brake, as it is known, allows a limited degree of annual overspending that is expected to […]
Why attacks on abortion rights have failed in Switzerland
Abortion rights are a hot political topic in the US and women’s access to them has been significantly reduced recently. Some political groups have tried to reduce access to abortion in Switzerland. However, their attempts have fallen flat. Why? Political scientist Cloé Jans at gfs.bern, a political research organisation, shared her views with SRF. In […]
Alain Berset, Switzerland’s president resigns
On 21 June 2023, Alain Berset, Switzerland’s president and health minister officially resigned, reported SRF. He will finish at the end of 2023. The Socialist Party politician from the canton of Fribourg has been a Federal Councillor (minister) since 2012. He succeeded Micheline Calmy-Rey on 1 January 2012 and took up his current role after […]
Swiss parliament responds to initiative to raise retirement age
Switzerland’s ageing population is undermining the future financial health of its state pension system, a challenge facing much of the world. A number of Swiss politicians believe later retirement is the only way to meaningfully confront the issue. Andri Silberschmidt, a member of the PLR/FDP in Zurich, along with others, has launched an initiative to […]
UBS gets 9 billion franc government guarantee for Credit Suisse deal
On 9 June 2023, UBS closed a deal with the Swiss government to cover 9 billion francs of potential losses it could incur from its takeover of Credit Suisse Group, reported Bloomberg. The guarantee relates to a specific portfolio of Credit Suisse’s assets currently valued at CHF 44 billion, equivalent to roughly 3% of the […]
No money for refugee container accommodation in Switzerland
Some in Bern hatched a plan to build accommodation out of shipping containers to cope with the expected influx of refugees into Switzerland. However, this week, the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, rejected a funding request for the plan, reported SRF. The Council of States had already spoken out against the idea last week […]
Switzerland moves close to changing definition of rape
This week, after much political back and forth, Switzerland’s federal government moved close to updating the nation’s laws on sex crimes, including rape. While the need to update the definition of rape, which is central to the legal revision, is uncontested, the details of the changes have proved controversial. Broadly, much of the debate has […]
No cost-of-living pay rise for Swiss parliamentarians
A 2.5% pay increase for Swiss parliamentarians to compensate for inflation was rejected this week by the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house or senate, reported SRF. In Switzerland, working as a member of parliament is a part time job, typically occupying 60% to 80% of an individual’s working hours. On average they are paid […]
Swiss initiative that aims to let voters fire cabinet members
Currently, the members of Switzerland’s seven-member Federal Council, the nation’s executive or cabinet, are elected for four years by the members of parliament (National Council) and the upper house (Council of States). This week, an initiative was launched for a referendum on whether to allow voters to remove any Federal Councillor they don’t like, reported […]
