This week, an initiative aimed at making it easier to become Swiss cleared the 100,000 signature hurdle required to qualify for a referendum, reported RTS. Non citizens are largely excluded from voting. Some exceptions allow some to vote at a municipal level. Excluding such a significant part of the population from the democratic process is […]
Swiss vote results 22 September 2024
On 22 September 2024, Swiss voters rejected two federal initiatives. The first, a plan to combat the decline in biodiversity was rejected by 63% of voters. The second, a government plan to reform employee pensions was rejected by 67% of voters. For the biodiversity initiative, cantonal level vote results ranged from nearly 58% in favour […]
Swiss to vote on employee pension reform
On 22 September 2024, the Swiss will vote on two popular initiatives. The first is the biodiversity initiative “For the future of our nature and our landscape”. The second is on a plan to reform Switzerland’s occupational pension system. Reform of Switzerland’s pension system is an increasingly pressing issue given the predictable demographic shift underway. […]
Swiss to vote on biodiversity initiative
On 22 September 2024, the Swiss will vote on two popular initiatives. The first is the biodiversity initiative “For the future of our nature and our landscape”. The second is on a plan to reform Switzerland’s occupational pension system. Biodiversity, a term referring to the number of living organisms and the habitats that support them, […]
Pension calculation error does not change future, argues statistician
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 […]
