Switzerland - News and perspectives

Swiss abroad

The information hub for the Swiss community abroad

Go to: Swiss abroad

Podcasts

Listen and subscribe to our podcasts

Go to: Podcasts

Debates

Join the discussion in our multilingual debates

Go to: Debates

Life & Aging

Mum in the kitchen, dad in the shed: why roles are slow to change in Switzerland

In Swiss families, although men are becoming more involved in household tasks, inequalities within couples increase when a child arrives.

By Pauline Turuban

Identities

Switzerland tumbles down global equality ranking

Life & Aging

Fertility rates plummet in Switzerland – and beyond

By Pauline Turuban

Workplace Switzerland

More working hours for women? Easier said than done

By Samuel Jaberg

Transparent political finances: a balancing act in Taiwan and Switzerland

Politician Chih-chiang Lo from the conservative KMT campaigning on a market street in the Da'an district of Taipei in early 2024

This content was published on May 31, 2024 With strict regulations and monitoring instruments, Taiwan has succeeded in strengthening trust in politics. But this also has a dark side.

UN activities in Geneva hampered by financial constraints

This content was published on Jun 3, 2024 Facing an unprecedented budget crisis, the United Nations in Geneva has been forced to implement drastic cost-saving measures.

Many political heavyweights have met on this mountain.

Ukraine conference in Switzerland: diplomacy against a historic backdrop

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 The Bürgenstock hotel complex has a long history of high-ranking political meetings. Its security and discretion also attracts celebrities.

Switzerland Today

This content was published on Jun 3, 2024 In the news: busy armed forces, solar protest and AI fossil research.

The challenges of decentralising vaccine production to Africa

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 A Geneva-based vaccine alliance Gavi aims to bring more justice and promote vaccine production in Africa. It’s a good start, but is it enough?

Iraqi Foreign Minister: ‘Switzerland to reopen embassy in Baghdad within months’

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 In an exclusive interview with SWI swissinfo.ch, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that Switzerland will reopen its embassy in Baghdad within months, ending decades of closure. 

View of the Bürgenstock hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland that will host the June 15-16 Ukraine peace summit.

The latest on Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland

This content was published on May 31, 2024 Tensions are mounting as non-attendee Russia ratchets up the pressure and questions are asked over which countries are attending the peace summit in Switzerland.

Our highlights

A group of people engages in a discussion around a table in a modern room. Text overlay reads “Inside Geneva, Live at the Graduate Institute in Geneva” and includes “swissinfo.ch” branding.

Please join us for a live podcast recording of Inside Geneva

Our host Imogen Foulkes will be hosting this live podcast recording about role of the Geneva Conventions and international law on 5th June 12.30-13.30.

People are walking, mountains in the background.

How are you doing? Take part in our big survey

Tell us your concerns about everyday life and your thoughts on major issues. The survey is being conducted in the four Swiss national languages.

Download the SWIplus app and stay informed

Do you want to stay informed abroad? Now our app SWIplus offers even more Switzerland: with news, stories and our briefing!

Newsletters

Follow us on WhatsApp

Receive news from Switzerland and our latest stories directly in WhatsApp. Check out our new channel and make sure to hit ‘follow’.

Follow us on Threads

We’re now live on Threads too. Tap this link to follow our new account and get updates on all our stories from Switzerland.

Follow us on Telegram

You can now also read us on Telegram. Follow this link to subscribe to our channel!

Swiss Film Selection

SWI swissinfo.ch offers a selection of Swiss films in English chosen from the Swiss streaming platform Play Suisse.

Let’s talk

“Let’s Talk” is SWI swissinfo.ch’s format to discuss relevant topics with high-profile experts and political figures.

Special reports

Check out our long format stories on topics like the Swiss pharma industry, Switzerland’s struggles with dirty gold, and living in the Alps.

Switzerland: How To

How do you dispose of rubbish in Switzerland? What are the visa requirements? It’s all here.

Join the conversation

We’d love to hear what you think about what’s going on in the world. You can find all of our debate questions here.

Swiss House of Representatives does not want to recognise Palestine as a state

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 By 131 votes to 61 with 2 abstentions, the House of Representatives said ‘no’ to the postulate put forth by the Social Democratic Party.

Protesters light flares as they take to the streets to call on the Israeli cabinet to sign a hostage deal and hold early elections during a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 1.

Switzerland backs Biden’s Gaza peace plan

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 Switzerland supports a new peace proposal pushed by US President Joe Biden for a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.

A woman in a brown top and brown and white headscarf is on her knees, screaming, amidst the wreckage of her tent. A child in a white striped blue Puma tracksuit is standing beside her.

Switzerland ‘extremely concerned’ about spiralling violence in Middle East

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Switzerland has strongly condemned Hamas’ recent rocket fire on Israel and Israel’s attacks on a camp for displaced people in Rafah.

Masked Palestinian members of the "Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam" militia, the military wing of Hamas, hold their weapons and pose for the media during a march on the streets of Gaza City, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Arabic on headband reads, "No God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet, Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam brigade." (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Swiss parties in favour of banning Hamas

This content was published on May 29, 2024 Swiss political parties want to ban Hamas and classify it as a terrorist organisation in Switzerland, which would prevent financing and propaganda activity.

Explainer: Switzerland and the recognition of Palestine

This content was published on May 24, 2024 On Wednesday Ireland, Spain and Norway said they would recognise a Palestinian state. What are the chances of Switzerland following suit?

Pro-Palestine uni protests to be debated in Swiss parliament

This content was published on May 20, 2024 The Swiss People’s Party says it will launch two postulates calling for clarifications about the recent student protests and occupations.

A group of students seated on the floor inside a university hall. In the middle of the group is a sign reading "UZH students against genocide".

Swiss student group condemns campus occupations

This content was published on May 17, 2024 Some aspects of pro-Palestine sit-ins have gone too far, but the right to protest and debate must be upheld, the student association has said.

Swiss police remove protestors from University of Bern.

Swiss police clear pro-Palestinian students protesting in Bern

This content was published on May 15, 2024 Police moved in early on Wednesday to remove some 30 pro-Palestinian student protesters from a Bern university building.

Red Cross sets up Rafah emergency field hospital

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.

Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.

Students hang up large signs and sit on the floor in a university building in Fribourg

Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities

This content was published on May 13, 2024 Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.

About 60 people crowd into the entrance of a university building. One is waving a Palestinian flag.

Swiss pro-Palestine protest reaches University of Bern

This content was published on May 13, 2024 Another Swiss university joins sit-ins to protest the worsening situation in the Middle East.

Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership

This content was published on May 11, 2024 On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).

Student protesters at a sit-in at University of Lausanne

Lausanne students end night-time Gaza protest

This content was published on May 9, 2024 The night-time occupation of a building at the University of Lausanne that began on May 2 ended on Wednesday evening.

Police officers supervise Pro-Palestinian demonstrators during protest in the entrance hall of the main building of the ETH Zurich on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland. (

Swiss Jewish group concerned about university protests

This content was published on May 8, 2024 The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities worries that protests are taking on ideological and radicalised features.

Should politics be kept out of sporting and cultural events?

Cultural and sporting events are being increasingly politicised. Is this a problem?

Join the discussion

May 28, 2024

3 Comments

View the discussion

Watch now

Swiss politicians agree that healthcare system has to change – but how?

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Parliament believes the Swiss healthcare system needs to be reformed, but the solutions differ. We discuss the issue in our Let’s Talk programme.

Who is Swiss Eurovision winner Nemo?

This content was published on May 29, 2024 A documentary follows the career of Nemo Mettler, who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 for Switzerland.

What is at stake in the two initiatives on healthcare costs?

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Rising healthcare costs are the main concern of Swiss voters going to the ballot boxes on June 9.

The small robot aiming to explore volcanic tunnels on the moon

This content was published on May 7, 2024 In the not-too-distant future, a hopping Swiss-developed robot could be bound for the moon to pave the way for future missions.

How drug prices are negotiated in Switzerland and beyond

This content was published on Apr 23, 2024 Switzerland’s pharmaceutical sector supplies drugs worldwide, but not all countries receive them with the same price tag. Here’s why.

woman in black shirt pointing at camera with blue background and emojis

How you view the problem of low birth rates in Switzerland

This content was published on Apr 22, 2024 Why do you think the Swiss birthrate has fallen so low. What impact will this have?

Guerreiro do Divino Amor poses in front of the "Fountain of Helvetia", part of the installation at the Swiss Pavilion in Venice.

An Alpine carnival: Switzerland stars as a superfiction at the Venice Biennale

This content was published on Apr 20, 2024 The Swiss-Brazilian artist Guerreiro do Divino Amor will represent Switzerland for the 60th edition of the Venice Art Biennale.

Switzerland’s long-standing love of cartography

This content was published on Apr 17, 2024 Long world-renowned, Swiss maps have in recent years managed to reach a wider public.

Moon robots learn to walk – in Zurich

This content was published on Apr 13, 2024 Scientists in Switzerland are developing robots that will one day explore the Moon or Mars.

a customs officer looking through luggage

Drug-busting with customs officers at Zurich airport

This content was published on Apr 12, 2024 Watch: Gino the sniffer dog helps in the search for cocaine smuggled into Switzerland via Zurich airport.

Flexible retirement could help plug labour gaps in Switzerland

This content was published on Apr 3, 2024 At a stretch, people of retirement age could be persuaded to stay at work longer.

Former CERN director Herwig Schopper – a centenarian on the impact of physics

This content was published on Mar 22, 2024 The German physicist and former director of CERN looks back at some of the highlights and encounters of his career.

Tandem jumps are even more dangerous than BASE jumping.

Should tandem BASE jumping be banned in the Swiss Alps?

This content was published on Mar 19, 2024 A new type of extreme sport is making people see red in the Alpine town of Lauterbrunnen: tandem BASE jumping.

How we work: comment moderation

This content was published on Mar 13, 2024 Are comments on SWI swissinfo.ch censored? How do we moderate your contributions? In this video we make our moderation transparent.

‘Yes’ to more state pension in Switzerland

This content was published on Mar 3, 2024 Watch the reaction to Sunday’s vote on raising Swiss state pensions.

External Content

Each day, SWI swissinfo.ch selects and presents content from our European public service media partners as part of a project of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Reuters International

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 02:10

Albania makes progress on Italy’s migrant centres ahead of Meloni visit

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 01:09

In heated debate, Britain’s Sunak, Starmer go head-to-head on the economy

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 01:06

Amanda Knox returns to Italian courtroom for slander verdict

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 01:03

King Charles banknotes enter circulation in UK

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 00:38

Britain considers offering Lilly weight-loss drug on better terms than Wegovy

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 00:37

Biden heads to France for D-Day anniversary, democracy speech

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 00:31

Security tight in Hong Kong and China on Tiananmen crackdown anniversary

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 00:02

Allies make progress on using Russian assets for Ukraine, U.S. official says

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 23:43

London hospital services impacted by ransomware incident

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 23:29

Moldovan police stage raids to uncover plot aimed at blocking Interpol

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 23:23

Israel strikes, shelling kill 19 in Gaza amid manoeuvring on ceasefire quest

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 23:20

Poll shows UK PM Sunak narrowly won first head to head UK election debate

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 23:12

Stocks, commodities slip as soft US data signals cooling economy

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 22:48

Slovenia becomes latest EU country to recognise Palestinian state

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 22:30

Orban’s new challenger targets Hungary’s Roma voters in EU election race

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 20:13

Portugal to use golden visa scheme to help migrants, build affordable homes

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 20:02

Poland’s Tusk says EU vote crucial for keeping war outside the bloc

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 20:00

Spanish court summons PM Sanchez’s wife over corruption allegations

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 19:41

Exclusive-EU aviation regulator to allow FAA to observe its plane audits

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 19:10

India’s Modi set to win historic third term but with surprisingly slim majority

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 – 02:19

Asian Bonds Track US Rally; Stocks See Muted Open: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 22:08

Bonds Rally as Traders Reload Fed Bets After Data: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 17:09

Ex-Google CEO Funds AI Research at Europe’s Top Physics Hub CERN As Rivalry With China Looms

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 13:19

Ukraine Summit Opens Door to Limited Future Talks With Russia

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 – 08:30

Swiss Inflation Matching 2024 High Erodes Case for SNB Rate Cut

This content was published on Jun 3, 2024 – 22:37

Treasury Yields Sink as Weak Data Fuel Fed Bets: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jun 3, 2024 – 06:00

New Caledonia Violence Cuts Macron’s Global Ambition Down to Size

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 18:40

Scholz Will Visit German Regions Battling Widespread Flooding

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 09:38

Zelenskiy Accuses China of Undermining Ukraine Summit

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 17:52

Widespread Flooding Disrupts Cross-Border Transport in Germany

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 07:00

UBS’s Ermotti Faults Swiss Regulators in Fight Against New Rules

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 23:05

S&P 500 Spikes in Final 20 Minutes of US Trading: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 16:48

Swiss Franc on Track for Best Week of 2024 After SNB Warning

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 13:44

UBS Completes Historic Takeover as Credit Suisse Ends

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 11:49

Zelenskiy to Join Singapore Defense Forum to Promote His Summit

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 11:21

China Signals It May Skip Ukraine Conference in Switzerland

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 22:51

Tech Rout Hits Stocks as Treasuries Gain After GDP: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 16:29

UBS Fined by Swiss for Failing to Report Yemen-Linked Accounts

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 10:41

UBS Makes Karofsky and Khan Wealth Co-Heads in Management Shakeup

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 09:06

Swiss Watch Exports Post Surprise Jump After US Revival

Swiss Post sets out to reinvent the post office

This content was published on May 31, 2024 Swiss Post is one of the most lauded institutions in Switzerland, which is why efforts to reinvent it face some scepticism.

Rising Swiss obesity levels: can new fat loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy help?

This content was published on May 31, 2024 The proportion of obese people in Switzerland has more than doubled over the last two decades.

Big Pharma steps up race for AI-discovered drugs

This content was published on May 30, 2024 AI is speeding up drug discovery but bringing an AI-discovered drug to market won’t happen overnight.

Hidden wealth: Swiss NGO maps Africa’s undeclared gold flows

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Vast amounts of gold is smuggled out of Africa every year, according to a study by the NGO Swissaid.

Klaus Schwab, chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF) addresses attendees during the opening of the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 16, 2024.

Klaus Schwab’s step back prompts fresh questions over Davos

This content was published on May 30, 2024 It is an awkward time for elitist gatherings of business and politics given rising geopolitical tensions and cracks in the multilateral order.

A Ukrainian soldier carries a drone close to the frontline near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine.

‘We have a unique opportunity to regulate autonomous weapons’

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Georgia Hinds, a legal adviser at the Red Cross, stresses the urgent need for a binding treaty to prohibit and restrict autonomous weapons by 2026.

Swiss politicians agree that healthcare system has to change – but how?

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Parliament believes the Swiss healthcare system needs to be reformed, but the solutions differ. We discuss the issue in our Let’s Talk programme.

Winners and losers: sports betting in Switzerland

This content was published on May 27, 2024 With Euro 2024 and the Olympic Games just weeks away, bookmakers and punters are looking forward to a summer of betting on sports. But how easy is it to have a flutter in Switzerland?

Why watch sharing doesn’t work – even in Switzerland

This content was published on May 25, 2024 Is watch sharing a feasible business model, or is it fundamentally flawed?

The chocolate of the future will have less cocoa or none at all

This content was published on May 24, 2024 The high price of cocoa beans along with laws against deforestation have sparked a hunt for new chocolate ingredients.

The magazine "Africa explored and colonised", published in Geneva between 1879 and 1894, can also be consulted online at the site of the Swiss National Library.

Geneva’s early double standards on colonialism

This content was published on May 23, 2024 Geneva is reviewing its historical links to colonialism. But a new exhibition shows that some of the most offensive expansionist behaviour came from humanitarian icons.

Golden passport? Certain groups struggle to become Swiss, study shows

This content was published on May 23, 2024 Well-educated and well-off immigrants are pulling ahead when it comes to getting the passport, a new study shows.

From the cute to the horrific: Switzerland’s weirdest museums

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Switzerland has some of the biggest and best museums in the world, but it is also home to some really bizarre and niche ones.

In Focus