Author: switzerlandtimes.ch

Swiss glaciers are emerging from winter with unusually little snow, leaving them poorly protected ahead of the summer melt season. According to the latest report from the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS), measurements taken on 25 glaciers in April and early May showed significantly below-average snow cover. Snow depth ranged from one to four metres depending on the region, but overall glaciers held around 25% less winter snow than the average recorded between 2010 and 2020. Snow acts as a protective layer for glaciers during the warmer months. The thicker the snowpack in spring, the longer underlying ice is shielded…

For decades Zug has been synonymous with low corporate taxes. But according to a new analysis by PwC, Luzern has now edged ahead. The consulting firm calculates Luzern’s maximum effective corporate-tax rate at 11.66% in 2026, marginally below Zug’s 11.71%. At the other end of the scale, companies in Bern and Zurich face effective rates of around 20%—see full tax rate comparison here. Individual taxes are different. On these Zug (10.1% on CHF 100,000) retains an edge over Luzern (14.79% on CHF 100,000) —see more rates here. Effective rates can differ from actual tax paidThe rates actually paid by companies…

The Green Party want to turn turmoil in the Middle East into an opportunity to reduce Switzerland’s reliance on fossil fuels and ease pressure on household budgets. Among the measures proposed by the party is an 80km/h speed limit on motorways, reports RTS. In an interview with SonntagsZeitung, Lisa Mazzone, the party’s president, argued that slower driving would reduce fuel consumption at a time when petrol prices have risen sharply following the conflict involving Iran—unleaded petrol is around 10% more expensive and diesel is up around 20%. Ms Mazzone pointed to the 1973 oil crisis, when Swiss authorities temporarily imposed…

The spring narcissus bloom in Switzerland’s riviera region, a star tourist attraction of the Belle Epoque – the 30 to 40 years before the war in 1914 – was described as the “snow of May” by Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms. The book is about two lovers who reunite in Switzerland to escape the war. The fields of white flowers allude to peace, renewal and beauty, contrasting the hardship and chaos of war. While the flower bloom is not as plentiful as it once was – the effects of farming, farm chemicals and urbanisation – it…

If the upcoming votes had been held at the end of April, the “No to 10 Million Switzerland” initiative would have been tied, according to the latest SRG poll run by GFS Bern. Changes to the Civil Service Act would have passed. On June 14th 2026 Swiss voters will decide on two federal measures: a popular initiative aimed at preventing Switzerland’s population from exceeding 10m, and amendments to the Civil Service Act. Voting intentions % of respondents ProposalIn favourUndecidedAgainst“No to 10 Million Switzerland” initiative47647Civil Service Act52840 Survey conducted April 20th-May 3rd 2026. Margin of error: ±2.8 percentage points. Source: GFS…

Switzerland’s push to meet its climate targets is colliding with a severe housing shortage. In French-speaking regions, large-scale evictions linked to energy renovations are becoming more common, leaving hundreds of tenants scrambling for new homes, reports RTS. In Geneva, 107 tenants on Boulevard Carl-Vogt received termination notices in January, reported the broadcaster. In Lausanne, 16 families on Chemin de Monribeau were forced out last year. Landlords cite extensive energy-efficiency upgrades, which they say cannot be carried out with residents in place. The pressure will rise. To reach carbon neutrality by 2050, Switzerland must refurbish much of its building stock. In…

Switzerland’s lower house has watered down plans to improve working conditions for nurses, despite a looming staff shortage. Meeting in special session, the Swiss National Council diluted several elements of a government reform tied to the nursing-care initiative approved by voters in 2021. Lawmakers rejected a proposal to cut the maximum working week for nurses from 50 to 45 hours, defying the Federal Council, the left and the Green Liberal Party. Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, the health minister, argued in vain that the change was central to staff well being and would not significantly raise costs. They also refused to boost compensation…

A planned overhaul of unemployment rules for cross-border workers in the European Union could prove costly for Switzerland. Ambassadors from EU member states have backed a change that would shift responsibility for unemployment benefits from a worker’s country of residence to the country where they were last employed. Under the current system, in place since 2004, cross-border workers in Switzerland pay into the Swiss unemployment-insurance scheme. But if they lose their job, they claim benefits in their country of residence. To balance the books, Switzerland compensates neighbouring countries—namely France, Germany, Austria and Italy—for a limited period. These reimbursements typically cover…

Switzerland could produce far more of its own food while cutting environmental damage, according to a study published late last year, which argues that eliminating inefficiencies in the food system—especially feed production and waste—would sharply raise food output. The country’s self-sufficiency rate (SSR), a measure of how many consumed calories are produced domestically, is just under 50%. Policymakers want at least to maintain it; some campaigners would like to see it pushed to 70%. The study suggests that, in theory, Switzerland could exceed 100%, producing enough food for nearly 10m people. This is not a policy target, but it shows…

A new Swiss initiative seeks to tilt travel away from planes and towards rail. Launched by actif-trafiC and backed by a coalition of campaign groups and political parties, it proposes a levy on airline tickets and private jet travel to fund public transport and expand cross-border rail links. The logic is straightforward: flying is too cheap and the price does not reflect the environmental costs. That, argues Rolf Wüstenhagen of the University of St. Gallen, distorts the market and inflates demand. The proposal would raise roughly CHF 1.5bn ($1.6bn) a year. At least two-thirds would be returned to residents as…