Switzerland’s legal definition of rape could be extended to cover both men and women. The National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, voted 151 to 39, with one abstention, to make this change to the law. The Federal Council is also in favour of the change. Currently, Switzerland’s criminal code defines rape victims as female. Section 190 of […]
Swiss parliament accepts plan to strip asylum rights from those travelling home
A proposition put forward by the Swiss people’s party (UDC/SVP) to strip asylum from those travelling to their home country was accepted by 129 members of the National Council and rejected by 57. The UDC argued that returning home for a holiday or to visit parents proves the refugee is not threatened or persecuted there […]
Switzerland set to get tougher on welfare fraud
New sanctions against those who fraudulently claim welfare, including stopping pension payments, have been approved by Switzerland’s upper house, according to the newspaper Le Matin. The new law, if approved by parliament, would provide a clear legal framework for halting or delaying pension payments to anyone guilty of welfare fraud who has emigrated to escape […]
Accident and emergency patients might soon be charged a pre-treatment fee
The Swiss government is looking hard to find ways to reduce the cost of health care. One idea is to make accident and emergency patients pay a CHF 50 fee before treatment. National counsellor Thomas Weibel put forward a parliamentary initiative to levy a CHF 50 charge at the time of hospital admission. The measure […]
New initiative aims to end age discrimination on pension contributions
In Switzerland, pension rules make it more expensive to employ older workers. The amount employers must contribute to 2nd pillar contribution-based employee pensions increases with age. Workers under 35 only cost an additional 3.5% of salary. From 55, workers cost employers an additional 9% – workers aged 35 to 44 cost employers an additional 5% […]
Majority favours later retirement for women, according to survey
In Switzerland, the official retirement age for women is 64, a year earlier than it is for men. A poll by gfs.bern shows that around two thirds are in favour of raising the retirement age of women to 65. Only 16% are against the idea, with a further 18% somewhat against it. Men (78%) are […]
Switzerland’s special tax deals less attractive from 2021
Foreigners who don’t work in Switzerland can benefit from special tax deals known as lump sum taxation, or forfait fiscal in French. Instead of paying tax on their worldwide income and assets their tax is calculated based on their living expenses. When someone becomes Swiss they automatically lose eligibility. The regime, which generated CHF 767 […]
Air traffic control strike planned in Switzerland
On Tuesday, the union Skycontrol, presented a plan for a strike in July. Skycontrol represents some workers working for the air traffic control company Skyguide, which operates at airports in Geneva, Sion, Bern, and Lugano. The strike would run from Monday 23 July until Friday 27 July 2018. A tweet from Skycontrol sets out the […]
Vote to end free Swiss-EU migration gets enough signatures
Organizers of a vote to limit immigration into Switzerland from EU and EFTA nations, had until 18 July 2019 to collect 100,000 valid signatures. Last week, almost one year ahead of the deadline, the Swiss People’s Party announced that they had collected 125,000 signatures. Surprised by how quickly the signatures were collected, Swiss People’s Party leader […]
Geneva – vote to challenge new laws some deem discriminatory
In April 2018, the government of Geneva introduced rules designed to protect religious freedom and preserve religious peace, known as laïcité, or secularity, laws. Laïcité is enshrined in article 3 of Geneva’s constitution, which requires the state to be secular and separate from religion. In Switzerland, religion is a cantonal matter. Geneva’s parliament voted 63 […]
