The Swiss government has rejected the so-called “Compass” Initiative, which seeks to subject the planned package of agreements with the European Union to a mandatory vote of both the people and the cantons. The Federal Council ruled out the proposal this week and declined to offer a counter-project. Formally titled: For direct democracy and the […]
Swiss journalists face rising hostility, study finds
Six in ten Swiss media professionals encountered insults or hate speech last year, according to the first systematic study of journalists’ safety in the country. The research, by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), paints a picture of a profession increasingly exposed to harassment. Eleven per cent of respondents reported physical (19%) or verbal […]
Swiss soldiers may soon take ammunition home again
Swiss soldiers may soon be allowed to keep ammunition at home once more. The Security Policy Committee of the Council of States has voted, by seven to five, to instruct the Federal Council to prepare for the reintroduction of so-called pocket ammunition, citing Europe’s deteriorating security environment, reported SRF. For decades Switzerland raised eyebrows abroad […]
Switzerland launches national campaign against domestic violence
Domestic violence remains one of Switzerland’s gravest social problems, the federal interior ministry notes. In 2024 police recorded 21,127 offences linked to domestic violence—6% more than in 2023 and roughly 40% of all registered crimes. Women account for nearly 70% of victims. More than half of all homicides occur in domestic settings, and NGOs report […]
Switzerland edges toward gender-neutral military service
Switzerland’s system of compulsory military service applies only to men, an arrangement that has long fuelled debate about who should serve in the military or in civil protection. Female conscription remains rare globally, limited to countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark (introduced in 2025) and Israel. The Federal Council now wants to bring women a […]
Switzerland’s 13th pension timing confirmed
On 11 November 2025 the Federal Council confirmed that AHV compensation offices will pay a thirteenth old-age pension for the first time in December 2026, as a supplement to that month’s pension, reported SRF. The extra payment will amount to one-twelfth of a recipient’s annual pension. Child and supplementary pensions, as well as the transition-generation […]
Swiss voters to decide on four issues in March 2026
Swiss citizens will head to the polls on March 8th 2026 to vote on four national measures: initiatives on cash, public broadcasting, and a climate fund, as well as a referendum on individual taxation, reported the government this week. Cutting the bill for public broadcastingThe “200 francs is enough” initiative, backed by the right-wing Swiss […]
Swiss Reformed Church follows Catholics and launches sexual abuse inquiry
Switzerland’s Protestant church is to commission an independent inquiry into sexual and spiritual abuse within its ranks. On Monday the parliament of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland voted unanimously to instruct its council to launch a scientific investigation into the issue, reported RTS. The synod approved funding of up to CHF 250,000 for the […]
Residents of Bern’s stretched homeless shelters mostly from abroad
Bern’s emergency shelters are under strain—and most of those using them are not Swiss. A new regulation introduced in October 2025 by the canton of Bern restricts access to emergency accommodation to people with valid papers, in an effort to ration scarce spaces. The measure, intended to ensure that limited places go to those legally […]
The decline of truth as professional journalism faces an existential crisis
Disinformation and conspiracy theories, amplified by social media, are distorting minds at scale. At the same time, the rise of news deprivation—a world in which citizens are either cut off from reliable reporting or simply tune it out—has deepened public confusion and mistrust. This week, we looked at a study that shows nearly half of Switzerland’s population […]
