The Federal Council and Parliament urge voters to back, on 28 September 2025, a constitutional change that would let cantons levy a special property tax on owner-occupied second homes. The measure is a prerequisite for a wider reform of housing taxation that would scrap the “imputed rent” now charged to home owners. At a press […]
Swiss federal deficit far smaller than feared
Switzerland now expects a much smaller federal deficit in 2025, reported RTS. The shortfall should be about CHF 200 million, versus the CHF 800 million pencilled into the budget. Bern says the improvement does not alter its savings programme. The better than expected result driven by a windfall rather than a trend. The upgrade stems […]
Most Swiss against making concessions to the US
Swiss voters expect pain from America’s new border taxes but do not want Bern to blink. In a YouGov Switzerland poll, two-thirds (66%) say the 39% tariff on Swiss exports to the United States—introduced on 7 August 2025—will significantly harm the economy. Only 5% foresee little or no impact. Despite that, just a quarter (25%) […]
Trump tariff u-turn triggered by Swiss gold refiner’s request for guidance
After 23 hours of pandemonium in bullion markets, the White House has hinted it may row back on a decision that sent gold traders scrambling. An executive order, to be issued “in the near future”, will clarify that imports of gold bars are not, in fact, subject to tariffs, according to an official statement, reported […]
Anti-noise radar use blocked by Bern
Discontent over noisy vehicles is growing louder in Switzerland. Several cantons are calling for the nationwide deployment of noise-activated traffic radars. The devices, already tested in places such as Basel-Landschaft, Zurich and Geneva, are designed not to catch speeding drivers, but those making too much of a racket. In Geneva, the trials were deemed a […]
Two initiatives against wind farms surpass vote signature hurdle
Switzerland’s push for renewable energy has met with resistance. Late last week, a nature conservation group submitted two popular initiatives aimed at curbing the expansion of wind farms, reported RTS. Each has garnered over 110,000 signatures—above the 100,000 signature threshold required to trigger a nationwide vote. The first, dubbed the Forest Protection Initiative, seeks to […]
Switzerland burning more and more of its wood to heat
In Switzerland, more and more timber is being burned. According to the Federal Statistical Office, nearly half of all wood harvested from Swiss forests is now used for energy—twice the share recorded two decades ago. The proportion processed in sawmills for construction or carpentry has declined over the same period, falling from 70% in the […]
Switzerland to be hit with 39% Trump tariffs
Switzerland has found itself on the sharp end of Washington’s latest tariff barrage. On August 7th, a 39% levy on Swiss imports is set to take effect—one of the steepest rates imposed by the United States in a sweeping round of trade measures ordered by President Donald Trump. The tariffs follow the expiry of a […]
Switzerland to bolster its air defences with German equipment
Switzerland has signed a deal to acquire five IRIS‑T SLM medium‑range air‑defence systems, plugging a long‑recognised gap in its defences, reported armasuisse on 22 July 2025. The systems, made by Germany’s Diehl Defence, will be bought under the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a NATO‑backed scheme to strengthen continental missile defence. The purchase agreement, worth […]
Proton freezes Swiss investment over surveillance fears
Proton, the Geneva-based encrypted email provider founded 11 years ago by three scientist who met at CERN, will freeze its investments in Switzerland, its chief executive Andy Yen told Le Temps on Wednesday. The company, best known for its privacy-first services, accuses Switzerland of edging towards becoming a surveillance state. The dispute centres on two […]