Author: switzerlandtimes.ch

In late 2021, the catholic church in Switzerland instructed historians to investigate sexual abuse within the organisation following evidence of widespread sexual abuse in the church in France. In May 2022 researchers from the University of Zurich started their investigation. This week they presented some of their results, reported RTS. The investigation marks the first time investigators from outside the church have been given access to documents that go back as far as the middle of the 20th century. The results of the research so far were made public on 12 March 2023. The researchers have found 1,002 documented cases…

This week, the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) reiterated its position on immigration at a press conference ahead of Switzerland’s upcoming federal election, reported RTS. The party, Switzerland’s largest, also set out its stance on immigration on its website. According to party president Marco Chiesa, mass immigration and asylum chaos are Switzerland’s greatest problems. Too many foreigners are coming to Switzerland and not the right ones, he told the audience. Since 2002, the population has risen by 20%, 20 times faster than in Germany, according to Chiesa. The fact that the economy suffers from a lack of qualified workers despite record…

Despite Switzerland’s legendary levels of democracy, surprisingly few vote. At the last general election in 2019 only around 45% of voters voted. To encourage voter participation the canton of Schaffhausen fines those who don’t take the time to take part in democracy, reported SRF. Across Switzerland, since 1979, more than 49% of eligible voters have never voted. One way to get more voters involved in elections is to fine those who don’t vote. However, only one of Switzerland’s 26 cantons has such a system. In the 19th century, voting was compulsory across the country. In the 1970s the last few…

The last poll before Switzerland’s federal election on 22 October 2023 shows a drift right compared to Switzerland’s federal election in 2019. The poll run by Sotomo on behalf of Switzerland’s state broadcaster between 22 September and 5 October 2023, shows clear winners and losers. Parties on the rise include the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) (+2.5 percentage points), the Socialist Party (+1.5) and the Centre Party (+0.5). The right of centre Swiss People’s Party is Switzerland’s largest, with support of 28.1% in the latest poll. In second place is the Socialist Party, with support of 18.3%. The big losers so…

This weekend Switzerland holds a federal election. However, young Swiss are less likely to go to the polls than their older compatriots. Why is this? A political scientist who spoke to SRF offers insights. Data from the last federal election four years ago show a particularly low turnout among those aged between 18-24 and 25-34. In addition, the data shows that when overall voter turnout is low participation among younger voters is affected more than that of other age groups. According to political scientist Lucas Leemann there are several reasons for this. One is the general sense that elections in…

The Swiss People’s Party (SVP/UDC), Switzerland’s most popular party, garnered even more votes than it did in 2019, mainly at the expense of the Green Party. On 22 October 2023, the SVP/UDC received 27.9% of votes, winning 62 of the 200 seats in Switzerland’s federal parliament. In second place was the Socialist Party, with 18.3% of votes and 41 seats, followed by the FDP/PLR (14.3% and 28 seats) and the Centre Party (14.1% and 29 seats). The SVP/UDC gained 9 seats, the Socialist Party gained 2 seats, the Centre Party gained 1 and the FDP/PLR ended up one seat down.…

Fireworks are a common festive spectacle in Switzerland. But for some their noise outweighs their benefits. This week, a group announced it had collected more than the 100,000 signatures required to launch a referendum on the subject, reported RTS. In the 18 months allowed, the group collected signatures 137,429 signatures, which it submitted to the federal chancellery for verification this week. The text of the initiative would ban the use of noisy fireworks, something that would be legally defined. Exceptions would be made for significant events such as those celebrated at a national or cantonal level. Fireworks without detonation would…

Changing your home heating system is a complicated matter in Switzerland, involving much paperwork and significant administrative cost. To incentivise the installation of heat pumps, a more efficient form of electric heating, the canton of Vaud changed the rules to make it easier. A group of around 40 people, many with scientific backgrounds has challenged the move in court, describing it as an odd exemption making little sense, reported RTS. Instead of a long drawn out application process, the government changed the rules on 1 August 2023 so that homeowners need only notify their municipality before installing a heat pump.…

As the world gets warmer many winter resorts have found themselves too low for snow. Across Switzerland 65 lift systems have already been closed. Once they are closed they are often abandoned, leaving behind an environmental problem. A report by RTS looks at the problem. A striking example of an abandoned lift system can be found near the entrance to the Grand Saint Bernard tunnel in the Canton of Valais. The Super Saint-Bernard, unlike most abandoned facilities, does not lack altitude. Great for freeride skiing and accessing the Aosta valley, it started at around 1,900 metres and rose to nearly…

A study by Greenpeace estimates as much as 300 tonnes of perfectly good new electrical goods are destroyed in Switzerland each year, reported RTS. Many of the dumped goods are items that have been returned by customers. Greenpeace pointed the finger at retailers such as Digitec, Galaxus, Fust and Interdiscount, all businesses connected to Migros or Coop. Greenpeace explained how these retailers are focused on minimising cost. But destroying products in perfect condition is unacceptably wasteful, it said. Greenpeace researchers returned goods with trackers in them and were able to work out the fate of the items. They ordered 25…