From 1 July 2022, same sex couples will be able to marry or convert their registered partnerships into marriage, announced the Swiss government this week. The announcement on 17 November 2021 follows a popular vote on the subject on 26 September 2021 when 64.1% voted in favour same sex marriage. The new law will be […]
Former Swiss parliamentarian blocked by Facebook for posting conspiracy theories
A vocal supporter of the 28 November 2021 vote against Switzerland’s Covid-19 laws, former federal parliamentarian and former leader of the UDC/SVP in the canton of Valais, Oskar Freysinger had one of his recent interview posts blocked by Facebook this week, reported Le Matin. In the interview, which was successfully posted on other social media, […]
Initiative launched for vote to agree Swiss deal with EU
A group called Opération Libero and the Green party plan to come together to launch a referendum to require Switzerland’s federal government to sign new deal with the EU. At a meeting on 26 May 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council evaluated the results of Switzerland’s negotiations with the EU around the institutional framework agreement, an agreement […]
Last authorised Covid protest before vote takes place peacefully in Bern
Last weekend, several thousand protestors assembled outside the Federal Palace in Bern to voice their opposition to Switzerland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, reported Tribune de Genève. The protest is likely to be the last one authorised in the city ahead of a vote on 28 November 2021 to reverse laws introduced by the Swiss […]
Swiss government deficit for 2021 revised down
The latest forecast for 2021 shows a deficit of CHF 14.8 billion, down CHF 2.6 billion from an earlier forecast shortfall of CHF 17.4 billion. The deficit is driven mainly by the extraordinary cost of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. The federal government expects to spend CHF 4.1 billion on vaccines (1.2) and tests (2.5) […]
Switzerland faces nurse shortage as exhaustion drives some to quit
Currently, with nearly 6,000 nursing vacancies in Switzerland the sector raises the alarm, reports 20 Minutes. According to the latest figures, there are a record 5.761 unfilled nursing positions in Switzerland. At the same time in 2019 there were 4,716, 18% fewer. Vacancies now represent around 3% of the 185,600 nurses currently working in Switzerland. […]
Thousands protest against Covid measures in Switzerland
Over the weekend, several thousand people took to Swiss streets to protest against Switzerland’s measures to reduce the impact of Covid-19, reported RTS. In Lausanne, between 800 and 1,000 people marched in protest against Covid certificates and restrictions on individual liberty. No violence or property damage was reported. In Lugano, calls from an association named […]
Swiss government rejects selection of judges by lottery
This week, the Federal Council launched its campaign against a vote on 28 November 2021 to move to a system where Switzerland’s judges would be selected by lottery. The proposed system would involve randomly selecting judges from a preselected pool of qualified people. Currently, Swiss judges are elected by the Federal Assembly, the combination of […]
Swiss advisory firms exposed in Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers, a leak of more than 11.9 million files from offshore service providers, reveal the widespread involvement of Swiss advisory firms in the set up of shell companies in tax havens. The recent Pandora Papers contain far more information than the Panama Papers, which were leaked in 2016 and resulted in the fall […]
Swiss parliament votes to pay billion to EU
On 30 September 2021, Switzerland’s parliament voted to release a CHF 1.3 billion payment to the EU with no strings attached, reported RTS. The parliamentary voting result of 131 to 55 in favour with 1 abstention, which followed an intense two-hour debate, allows the payment to be made. The vote follows a vote on the […]
