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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Zurich must create an anti-semitism plan within a year; there are more millionaires among Switzerland's workforce; and other news in our roundup on Tuesday.

Published: 30 April 2024 08:26 CEST
Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Edelweiss flowers are no longer symbols of Switzerland. Image by Hans from Pixabay

Zurich has one year to devise anti-semitism measures

The cantonal parliament has accepted a motion on Monday, calling on authorities to create an anti-semitism and anti-racism ‘action plan’ geared specifically toward local schools.

This step, supported by all political parties, is motivated by the March 2nd incident, when a 15-year-old supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS) stabbed a Jewish man in Zurich.
 
Shortly after the attack, Johanne Gurfinkiel, secretary-general of the Intercommunity Coordination against Anti-Semitism and Racism (Cicad), asked that elected officials create a strategy to prevent similar ‘hate acts’ in the future.

Zurich must devise these measures within a year. 

READ ALSO: Why are racist incidents on the rise in Switzerland? 

In Switzerland, more than 4,000 employees are millionaires

According to a new report from the Swiss Trade Union (USS) on the distribution of salaries, wealth, and taxes, the wages of highest-paid workers in the country have increased significantly in the last decade — by about 3,000, francs a month.

Some 4,120 employees in Switzerland now have an annual income of a million francs, a wage that is 12 percent higher than the previous year.

On the opposite side of the pay scale, however, average hikes for middle and low-income earners were only 2.5 percent, USS reported.

Switzerland’s ‘new identity’ unveiled
 
Whoever said that Swiss like to take things slowly, was correct — at least in terms of its logos.

After 30 years of being represented by an edelweiss flower, Switzerland Tourism, the country’s tourism body, changed its official logo. The logo of “Switzerland” with the Swiss flag as the “t” is also only in English.

It is not a huge game changer in the way that Switzerland is likely to be perceived abroad, but it is proof that Swiss are not averse to shaking up its status quo once in a while.

Ahead this week:

Tomorrow is Labour Day

Like many other countries, Switzerland is celebrating Labour Day on May 1st.

READ ALSO: Why May 1st isn’t a holiday everywhere in Switzerland

It is also known as International Workers’ Day and May Day, and is mostly marked by trade unions and left-leaning groups.

May 1st is  not, however, a public holiday throughout the whole of Switzerland— it is celebrated in some cantons but not in others.

It is a holiday in Zurich, Basel–City, Basel–Country, Jura, Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Ticino.

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Rents in many cantons increase when tenants move; health insurance premiums could go up considerably; and other Swiss news in our roundup on Tuesday.

Published: 21 May 2024 08:14 CEST
Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Rent takes a bigger chunk of household budget after a move

There is an unwritten rule in Switzerland that  rent should not exceed one-third of income.

However, according to a new study conducted by the real estate company Wüest Partner, after a move to a new apartment, even of the same size, a large portion of tenants are paying much more to cover the cost of new digs.

The study found that 28 percent of households spend more than a third of their income on rent after moving.

This is especially the case in Geneva, where 56 percent of tenants see their rents exceed one-third of their earnings. Zug is next with 40 percent, followed by Zurich and Vaud (36 percent), and Ticino (31 percent).

Health insurance premiums could continue to soar

The Swiss Trade Union (USS) estimates that if the two initiatives to be voted on June 9th are rejected by voters, a family of four would have to pay 27 percent more for their health insurance by the year 2030.

These calculations are based on official government figures, the USS said.

A premium for a single adult would also increase — from 430 to 540 francs a month on average — and would likely be even higher in certain cantons.

READ ALSO: How Switzerland’s two crucial health insurance referendums could impact you 

Zurich schools correct students’ homework using artificial intelligence

The correction app from the Swiss company Herby Vision has been tested in five Zurich schools over the past few months and the feedback from teachers “has been very positive,” according to Raphael von Thiessen, who is in charge of the project at the Cantonal Office for Economy and Innovation (OCEI).
 
This is how this system works: as soon as students complete an assignment, they take a photo of it with their smartphone or tablet.

An algorithm then checks the work and makes corrections directly on the image. Teachers have nothing to do, other than see on the app whether students have completed their homework, and how well they did.

Before this system can be introduced in all schools, however, “there is an urgent need to establish clear guidelines to ensure that AI is deployed responsibly and effectively in the education system,” OCEI pointed out.

Why is the price of Swiss chocolate likely to increase again?

In 2023, cocoa prices rose to all-time highs, due to bad weather conditions which have damaged crop yields in West Africa, where three-quarters of the world’s cocoa production takes place.

This, in turn, has had repercussions on Swiss chocolate industry.

But the sector’s woes are not over, because the price of cocoa is continuing its upward trend.

As a result, Swiss chocolate is set to become more expensive, according to Marco Peter, director of Lindt Switzerland

“The price rise is dramatic and concerns us greatly,” he said. “We are trying to remedy this by reducing production costs, but this is only possible to a limited extent.

Therefore, Lindt chocolate will be “more than 10 percent more expensive” in Switzerland this year in Switzerland, he added.

READ ALSO: What’s going wrong with Swiss chocolate? 
 
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

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