On 14 June 2015 Swiss voters will decide whether to increase tertiary student bursaries and make them a federal rather than a cantonal matter. Presently, bursaries are determined and paid by cantons and vary significantly from canton to canton. In 2013 the highest annual average of CHF 9,365 was in Vaud and the lowest of […]
Swiss vote to tax inheritance
On 14 June 2015 Swiss voters will be asked if they want to impose a 20% federal tax on inheritance. Gifts and donations while alive would also be caught by the tax. Currently inheritance tax is a cantonal matter and most Swiss cantons don’t levy any. The proposal The new federal tax of 20% would […]
Swiss TV-radio fee vote – out of control “tax“ or pragmatic step forward?
Some who move to Switzerland from abroad might not be aware that they are almost certainly required to pay one of the world’s highest broadcasting licence fees. An annual Swiss licence costs CHF 451.101 per household compared to a UK one, which costs CHF 210 (£145.50) – less than half. When you arrive in Switzerland […]
Swiss votes – fixing a broken system
The think tank Avenir Suisse thinks that the Swiss system of referenda, where popular votes can change the Swiss federal constitution, has been hijacked by political parties and minority interest groups and needs fixing. According to the think tank, this cornerstone of Swiss direct democracy has become the instrument of political parties and a marketing […]
Why are Swiss voting for a new national anthem?
What makes for a good national anthem? The melody should be festive, solemn, create a sense of identity and unity around shared values and, be easy to remember. Apparently the current Swiss national anthem fails this last test. The majority of Swiss people cannot remember the Cantique Suisse, if they even know it at all. […]
Swiss immigration vote re-run
The February 2014 vote showed just how divided Swiss views on immigration are. While 50.3% voted for the proposal to stop mass immigration, 49.7% voted against it. A re-run could easily undo the result – it should be noted that an exact re-run is not possible under Swiss law. While the amendment to the Swiss […]
A 5-step guide to Switzerland’s immigration changes
On 9 February 2014, Swiss voters decided by a slim majority of 50.3% to adopt new rules on immigration. The new rules now form part of the Swiss Federal constitution. The changes are broad and short on specifics. For this reason the adoption of new legislation implementing the changes is critical for clarifying the exact scope […]
French-speaking Swiss, Nidwalden loves you!
Voters in Nidwalden last Sunday rejected a UDC Nidwalden sponsored initiative that would have resulted in French being dropped from the canton’s primary school curriculum. 61.7% voted “No”. The parliament of Nidwalden rejected the initiative ahead of the vote on the grounds it would negatively impact national cohesion and advised voters to vote against the […]
Swiss eco tax and child benefit tax exemption votes rejected
Both of these votes delivered firm “No” results. Child benefit tax exemption Only 24.6% voted “Yes” for the proposed tax exemption for child benefit payments. The voting difference between the city and the countryside was low with around 3% more rural “Yes” voters. French speaking “Yes” voters were only 7% ahead of voters in the Swiss German […]
No French please. We’re Swiss…..
Two recent stories are reminders of the cultural and political importance of language in Switzerland. Choosing to learn English as a second language makes sound practical sense in an increasingly global world, however in Switzerland it is not that simple. Switzerland, a country with four national languages (German, French, Italian and Romanche), has to juggle […]
