Author: switzerlandtimes.ch

Last weekend, around 300 demonstrators gathered outside Syngenta’s chemical plant in Monthey, Switzerland, on Saturday as part of an international day of action against the agrochemical giant under the banner “Stop Pesticides”. Protests also took place in Basel and several other countries, reported RTS. The protesters warned of the health risks associated with pesticides, including acute poisoning, chronic illness and cancer. They argued that agricultural workers and rural communities bore the brunt of exposure to hazardous chemicals. A handful of multinationals continue to profit while increasingly poisoning our water, land and communities, the organisers said. For years, we have gathered…

Switzerland crowns three cheese champions, celebrating a craft that combines tradition with commercial ambition. The Swiss take cheese seriously. So seriously, in fact, that choosing the country’s finest requires more than 200 judges, over 1,000 contenders and an expert panel to settle the final scores. At the 14th Swiss Cheese Awards in Fribourg, three cheesemakers emerged with the highest honours. The competition attracted a record 1,177 entries. Nicolas Brodard, of the La Guignarde alpine dairy in Corbières, canton Fribourg, won the hard-cheese championship with his Gruyère d’alpage AOP. The semi-hard title went to Marc-André Girardin, of the Fromagerie de la…

An alliance of left-wing and centrist parties has submitted more than 131,800 signatures in an effort to prevent Switzerland from lifting its ban on building new nuclear power plants, reported Greenpeace. Representatives of the Socialist Party (SP), Greens, Green Liberals (GLP) and parts of the Centre Party submitted the signatures in Bern on Tuesday. The alliance wants to preserve Switzerland’s existing ban on new nuclear power plants. Lisa Mazzone, president of the Greens, described nuclear power as an outdated, overpriced technology that leaves future generations with highly radioactive waste. Nuclear power currently accounts for just under 30% of Switzerland’s domestic…

More than 80% of those convicted were foreign nationals, and around two-thirds were not permanent residents of Switzerland, according to new federal statistics. As autumn brings shorter days and longer nights, Switzerland enters the season when burglaries tend to rise. Theft, which includes burglary, is among the most common offences recorded in the country’s latest criminal-conviction statistics. Alongside traffic offences, it accounts for a substantial share of convictions. In 2025, 7,956 people were convicted of theft, down from 8,355 in 2024, a fall of 4.8%, according to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The offences ranged from pickpocketing…

Voters in Vaud approved a 12% cut in income and wealth taxes on Sunday, with 53.1% backing the initiative. The measure will not turn the canton into a tax haven. Even after the cut, Vaud’s tax burden will remain above the national average. Vaud’s residents will continue to rank among the most heavily taxed in Switzerland. The burden will remain particularly high for middle- and upper-middle-income taxpayers, as well as for the better-off, from 2027 onwards. By several measures, Vaud ranks alongside Geneva and Basel-City among the three cantons with the heaviest taxation. It is likely to remain near the…

Passengers in Zurich’s Furttal valley can now book rides in self-driving cars. The pilot scheme, called Iamo, is Switzerland’s first robotaxi service open to the public, according to the canton. Three electric self-driving cars are operating between around 100 designated stops in Boppelsen, Dänikon, Hüttikon and Otelfingen, four municipalities in the canton of Zurich. How does it work? Passengers must download the Iamo app, whose name stands for “intelligent automated mobility”. It is available from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. After registering, users can book a journey and be collected from one of the designated stops. Each car can…

After 24 hours of debate, senators backed much of the new bilateral package—but toughened the rules on referendums and immigration. After roughly 24 hours of debate, Switzerland’s Council of States has finished its first examination of most of the country’s sprawling new package of agreements with the European Union. Its verdict was broadly favourable, but with some distinctly Swiss amendments. Switzerland’s relationship with the EU has long been built on bilateral deals rather than membership. Swiss voters rejected joining the European Economic Area in 1992, and over the following decades Bern and Brussels assembled a patchwork of agreements covering areas…

Switzerland finished third at WorldSkills, the global competition for young people in vocational trades, which ended in Shanghai on Sunday. It was the best-performing European country. The 42-strong Swiss team won 12 medals: four golds, two silvers and six bronzes and ranked third overall based on the average medal points scored by each national team. Only China and South Korea finished ahead of it – see medal table here. Another 23 Swiss competitors received medals of excellence, awarded for performances that met a high standard but fell short of the podium. Switzerland’s showing is notable given its size. China has…

Swiss voters are likely to have their say on a proposal to introduce parental leave. The Green Liberals announced on Wednesday that they had submitted 112,517 signatures in support of the initiative to the Federal Chancellery for verification. The number of signatures comfortably exceeds the required threshold, subject to official verification. The initiative is also backed by the Green Party, Alliance F, the trade union federation Travail.Suisse and the women’s wing of the Centre Party. Supporters argue that Switzerland’s birth rate, which has fallen to a historic low of 1.3 children per woman, makes reform necessary. Yet evidence that paid…

The “Safeguard Neutrality” initiative, launched by Pro Suisse and members of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), was rejected by 70.1% of voters. Every canton voted against it. The proposal sought to enshrine a stricter interpretation of Swiss neutrality in the constitution. It was backed mainly by conservative groups, along with part of the left. The Federal Council and almost all major parties, with the exception of the UDC/SVP, opposed it. The rejection was even stronger for the “For Safe Food” initiative. The proposal was rejected by 72.5% of voters. All cantons also voted against it. Its supporters wanted, among other…