Viola Amherd, one of two new women joining Switzerland’s seven-member executive team on 1 January 2019, will head the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), a position focused mainly on military matters. This will be the first time the position has been held by a woman, according to RTS. Amherd (on the […]
Three of seven of Switzerland’s executive will soon be women
Two members of Switzerland’s Federal Council announced they would step down earlier this year. Last week, two women were elected to replace them. Doris Leuthard and Johann Schneider-Ammann will be replaced by Karin Keller-Sutter and Viola Amherd. This means there will soon be three women, instead of two, among Switzerland’s seven-member executive team. Both women […]
Swiss town’s vote to leave canton invalidated
In 2017, 51.7% of voters in Moutier, a French-speaking Swiss town of around 7,000 people, voted to leave the predominantly German-speaking canton of Bern and become part of the canton of Jura, a process expected to be completed by 1 January 2021. In Switzerland, changing canton is a big deal involving changes in tax rates, […]
Switzerland’s religious decline continues – numbers by canton
Time and history have revealed almost countless Gods. However, in some countries, more and more people are choosing to believe in none. In Switzerland, where religious freedom is set out in the constitution, the portion of the population with no religious affiliation is approaching 25%, according to figures for 2016 published this year. In Switzerland, religion […]
Investigating suspected welfare cheats – Swiss vote on where to draw the line
On 25 November 2018, Swiss will vote on whether to accept laws allowing detectives to uncover welfare fraud. Currently, there is nothing specific in Swiss law covering the practice. In the past, investigators have been used to gather evidence on disability and accident beneficiaries. Between 2009 and 2016, detectives were used on around 220 investigations […]
Blood donation – Swiss politician calls for donors to be remunerated
National councillor Pierre-André Page (UDC/SVP) would like to see some form of remuneration offered to blood donors to address the shortage of blood, according to RTS. “A glass of red and a sandwich is fine but we could do better” Page told the newspaper 20 Minutes, suggesting donors be remunerated from the social tax pot […]
Swiss parliament votes to extend definition of rape to male victims
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 […]
