This week, an error was found in the government’s calculation of the future hole in state pension funding. While the error, which overstates the shortfall by CHF 4 billion, is substantial, it does not change the trend, according to Stéphane Rossini, head of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), reported RTS. The CHF 4 billion error […]
Swiss trade unions argue against pension reform
On 22 September 2024, Swiss voters will decide whether or not to accept the latest round of government reforms to employee based pensions known as the second pillar pensions. Swiss trade unions are against the reform, which reduces the annuity rate from 6.8% to 6.0%. Instead they are calling for a higher rate to compensate […]
Next round of Swiss referenda announced
On 24 November 2024, Swiss voters will be called on to decide on four things, announced the Federal Council this week. The four votes include one on road and tunnel extensions, two on rental contracts and one on healthcare funding. Road and tunnel enlargement The first is a government plan to extend road infrastructure in […]
Swiss TV and radio licence fee to be cut
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided to cut CHF 35 off the compulsory annual fee households must pay for public television and radio. The fee will fall from CHF 335 to CHF 300 by 2029, reported RTS. The fee reduction will happen gradually, falling to CHF 312 in 2027 and then to CHF 300 in […]
Swiss vote results 9 June 2024 – 3 “no”, 1 “yes”
On 9 June 2024, Swiss voters voted on four federal initiatives, two related to healthcare cost, one born in the Covid-19 era related to “physical and mental integrity”, and one on renewable electricity. The first asked voters whether to subsidise health insurance premiums based on income and the second whether to formally restrain healthcare spending. The […]
Swiss to vote on renewable electricity this weekend
Switzerland doesn’t produce enough electricity to meet its needs, particularly in winter when demand is highest. To keep the lights on it imports electricity from its neighbours, much of it produced with polluting fuels. This leaves Switzerland reliant on its neighbours and acts as a drag on its climate progress. To remedy this, the government […]
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
After a round of referenda in June, Swiss voters will be called on in September to decide on biodiversity and a government plan to reform work-related pensions to ensure their longterm financial viability, reported RTS. On 22 September 2024, the government’s plan to cut the work-related pension annuity rate from 6.8% to 6% will be […]
Swiss one step closer to vote on neutrality
This week, a group calling themselves the Pro Switzerland Group, announced it had collected 133,000 signatures, a number comfortably above the 100,000 needed to call a referendum, reported SRF. The group wants to ask voters whether they want the nation’s neutrality to be strictly set out in Switzerland’s constitution. The initiative calls for a constitutional […]
Federal Council rejects anti-fur and anti-fois gras initiatives
Switzerland’s Federal Council, or cabinet, announced this week that it does not support two initiatives aimed at banning the importation into Switzerland of fois gras and fur products produced cruelly. In December 2023, the Swiss Animal Alliance submitted the two popular initiatives, one aimed at banning the import of foie gras and one aimed at […]
Federal Council rejects initiative against compulsory vaccination
This week, the Federal Council recommended voters vote no in the referendum known as the stop compulsory vaccination initiative, scheduled for 9 June 2024, reported SRF. A key criticism of the initiative is that it could make applying and enforcing the law difficult. If it was accepted the consequences would be uncertain for the work […]
