Latest News Roundup for Monday in Switzerland
In a bid to address two pressing concerns for the Swiss population, the Federal Council has taken significant steps in both health insurance and transportation sectors.
Starting from January 1, 2026, all Swiss cantons will be required to contribute to the financing of health insurance premium subsidies. This move, part of the Federal Council's counter-proposal to the popular initiative to cap health insurance premiums at 10% of household income, aims to sustainably contain the financial burden on households across all cantons.
According to the Health Ministry, the gross cantonal costs will be determined to set each canton's minimum share and federal contributions. Cantons will also define the maximum burden that premiums can represent in relation to disposable income, ensuring a more equitable distribution of costs.
On the transportation front, the Department of Health and Mobility (DSM) is focusing on two priority areas for Lake Geneva transport: long links between the banks and direct cross-lake connections. The future 'blue route' between Corsier and Bellevue is a proposed long link, which could be integrated into the cantonal perimeter and the Unireso fare system if successful.
Direct cross-lake connections, such as Cologny to the centre via Les Pâquis or Les Nations, are also being considered. These short-distance connections, identified as a strategic corridor, could allow for quick lake crossings and avoid city centre detours and multiple land network transfers.
The DSM's initiatives are aimed at reducing road traffic congestion, a major problem identified by a survey conducted by the GfS research institute. The survey shows that 57% of Switzerland's population consider traffic jams a major problem.
Notably, 76% of survey respondents now support the expansion of the motorway network, despite a referendum rejection in November 2023. However, the Green Party has expressed concerns about cheap, environmentally harmful, and unhealthy imports potentially undermining Switzerland's agriculture support strategy.
In a separate development, the Federal Council is considering lifting the ban on imports of American poultry treated with chlorine. This concession, aimed at resolving a trade dispute with the United States, is raising criticism from the Swiss Poultry Producers Association and the Green Party. The association finds the idea of chlorinated poultry 'absolutely unacceptable.'
These developments reflect the Federal Council's ongoing efforts to balance economic, environmental, and social concerns in its policy-making process.
