Swiss cantons have very different tax bases, tax rates and spending. Until 2008, all cantonal taxes remained within cantons. Since then rich cantons have been required to support poor ones via the national financial equalisation mechanism. Next year, every French-speaking canton, with the exception of Geneva, will receive a financial boost from their wealthier German-speaking […]
Federal Council wants to get tough on conscription choices to boost military
A shortage of military personnel is creating challenges for Switzerland’s leaders. This week, the Federal Council said it wants to make it harder for conscripts to opt for community service and to use some of those doing civil service for defense. However, the idea was met with resistance. Over the years, it has become easier […]
Commission wants to postpone pension hike funding question
After the successful vote to raise Swiss state pensions by one twelfth (a 13th month payment), the question of how to fund the extra CHF 4.2 billion a year required has been preoccupying many in Bern. This week, a parliamentary commission voted 13 versus 12 to postpone the question and to tackle it later during […]
Swiss cabinet members get to keep their perks
Recently, Federal Councillors, or cabinet members, lost their free ski passes. This week, parliament voted on whether they should be able to keep their other perks, reported RTS. These perks include free first class train passes for themselves and their partners, two cars – one for work engagements and another for private use, free phone […]
Swiss parliament rejects adding dental care to basic insurance
The cost of healthcare and the compulsory insurance residents must pay to fund it continue to rise. In 2022, healthcare spending rose 2.5%. At the same time, dental care is not covered. Politicians from the Green Party would like it included in basic cover. However, parliament voted against the idea this week, reported RTS. The […]
No price rises for Swiss public transport in 2025
Alliance Swisspass, an organisation that stitches together Switzerland’s various public transport providers to create tickets and passes that work across the network, announced this week that there would be no ticket price increases in 2025, reported SRF. A recent rise in the number of people using the network is bringing in more revenue. This is […]
Higher Swiss pensions to be funded with higher tax
On 3 March 2024, a majority of Swiss voters accepted a plan to increase the state pension by 1/12th (8.3%) – an extra 13th month of pension will be paid from 2026. Organisers of the vote claimed pension finances were in good shape, implying there was money to fund it. However, there wasn’t. This week […]
Swiss cabinet to give up free ski passes
Currently, the members of Switzerland’s cabinet, known as the Federal Council, are given free ski passes covering all of Switzerland. The pass is worth around CHF 4,000. This week, the Federal Council announced its members and their partners would no longer receive the passes from 2025, reported RTS. The free passes first stirred controversy initially […]
Swiss assisted suicide in UK news after woman takes her own life
This week a high profile case of assisted suicide in Switzerland made the news in the UK. Paola Marra, a UK woman with terminal cancer, who felt she had no choice but to end her life at Dignitas in Switzerland left behind a video message calling on people to help change the law on assisted […]
Vote on Swiss neutrality passes signature hurdle
The team behind an initiative to add new wording on Swiss neutrality to the nation’s constitution succeeded this week in collecting sufficient signatures to call a referendum, reported RTS. Vote organisers claim to have collected 140,000 signatures, of which 110,000 have already been authenticated. Walter Wobmann, the leader of the initiative said that the signatures […]
