Author: switzerlandtimes.ch
With a score of 0.962 out of 1.000, Switzerland topped the United Nation’s latest Human Development Index for 2021, a measure that includes life expectancy, education and income. The index, designed to look beyond GDP as a measure of well-being, was launched in 1990. Published on 8 September 2022, the latest report on 2021 reveals how inequalities and uncertainty are reinforcing one another to drive polarisation across the world. It also shows that decades of progress on life expectancy, education and economic prosperity have begun to unravel since the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past two years, around 90% of nations…
On the 18 June 2023 the Swiss electorate will vote on the Federal Act on Climate Protection Targets, Innovation and Strengthening Energy Security. The question before voters is whether to accept the government’s counter-proposal to the Glacier Initiative, a popular vote formulated in 2018. The original Glacier Initiative was aimed at drastically reducing the use of fossil fuels in Switzerland even if this required bans from 2050. However, instead of putting their text to voters, the organisers decided to conditionally withdraw their referendum in favour of a government counterproposal. In the meantime, enough signatures were collected – 50,000 in this…
This week, a Swiss organisation focused on urban transport with 20 members, announced its support for city-wide 30 km/h speed limits, a limit significantly lower than the current standard limit of 50 km/h in urban areas. On 16 May 2023, the organisation, which brings together 20 towns, ranging from Zurich (the largest) to Chiasso (the smallest), published its position on 30 km/h speed limits. It concluded that lower speeds cut noise, improve safety, reduce road use and tilt the balance in favour of public transport. It said that while antinoise barriers help with noise pollution, noise must be reduced at…
In 2023, Switzerland’s population could increase by 148,000, the most it has ever risen in one year, according to a report by Wüest Partner, a real estate consulting firm. According to calculations by the consulting firm, Switzerland could break a population growth record in 2023 with a population increase of 148,000 people. The projected rise is double the increase in 2022. The federal government’s longterm projections predict 2023 will be similar to 2022. However, the government’s figure does not include the effects of unforeseen events, which include the war in Ukraine and the Covid pandemic. In 2010, statisticians at the…
Switzerland has two Federal universities. ETH Zurich, famous for educating Einstein, and the far newer EPF Lausanne. This year ETH Zurich remained the highest ranking university in continental Europe, according to Times Higher Education. Ranked 11th globally, ETH Zurich was the highest ranked university in Europe beyond the UK. In Europe including the UK it was ranked fourth behind Oxford (1st globally), Cambridge (3rd) and Imperial College London (10th). EPF Zurich rose to 11th place in 2023 from 15th in 2022. ETHZ is ranked highly for physical sciences (9th globally) and engineering and technology (9th). More detail on ETHZ’s ranking…
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters voted on three federal initiatives on whether to tax large companies at minimum rate of 15%, adopt a package of incentives to reduce emissions and extend Covid-19 laws until mid 2024. Voting this weekend saw all three initiatives accepted. Majorities were in favour of higher (in most cantons) company taxes (78.45%), the government’s climate protection plan (59.07%) and extending Covid-19 laws (61.94%). The votes showed relatively small differences between French- and German-speaking voters, a linguistic divide known as the Rösti Graben (rösti is a grated potato dish associated with Switzerland’s German speakers and Graben means ditch…
The government of the canton of Ticino is strongly opposed to tolls for the Gotthard road tunnel, reported RTS this week. The idea of charging a toll for the highly congested Gotthard tunnel linking Ticino, which lies south of the Alps, to the rest of Switzerland, has been discussed for some time. In a public poll run at the end of June 2023, 69% of those surveyed said they believed a toll was needed, compared to 28% who were opposed to one. However, this week, the cantonal government of Ticino wrote a letter to the Federal Council arguing that a…
Becoming a Swiss citizen is a lengthy and sometimes arduous process. For those with an EU passport 10 years of residency is required before applying. In addition, there are language requirements, general knowledge tests, proof of not having received welfare recently and of having paid taxes, along with typically significant fees, depending on the canton. Some of the naturalisation process is managed at the federal level, with key elements done at municipal and cantonal levels. This means some cantons and municipalities are more difficult than others. The elements of the process that trip people up tend to be at the…
A recently published survey shows 23% of employees in Switzerland reported a risk to safety or health due to their work in 2021, compared to a European average of 34%. In 2021, 23% of employees in Switzerland identified a risk to safety or health due to their work. The rate across Europe this was significantly higher at 34%. Key areas of concern in Switzerland were work related strain on the musculoskeletal system (55%) and stress from a high work pace (59%). Although, the proportion of employees with health complaints such as muscle pain in the shoulders, back pain and headaches…
ALL YEAR ROUND The Alps are synonymous with skiing but alpine geothermal springs and spas are sometimes overlooked. If the thought of lugging skis, poles and person to the ski lift to spend a day risking life and limb on snow isn’t appealing, or the sun has gone into hiding, then why not head to a mountain spa instead? For inspiration, here are our five favourites in French-speaking Switzerland or Suisse romande. No. 1 Bains de la Gruyère This is the newest of the spas on our list so it is still shiny and fresh. The setting is amazing and…