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More money for French-speaking cantons in Switzerland from 2020

The Federal Council will send more money to Switzerland’s French-speaking cantons from 2020 onwards as part of the country’s financial equalisation policies.

Published: 7 November 2019 10:32 CET

More money for French-speaking cantons in Switzerland from 2020

Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

German-speaking cantons – including the capital of Bern – will receive less federal money.

The cantons of Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Valais and Jura will be allocated a greater amount of money, while Geneva will pay less despite being the only French-speaking canton with “high resource potential”.

After contributing CHR299.8 million, Geneva will pay 274.9 million in 2020.

More for French-speaking Switzerland

Each of the following cantons is set to see an increase in what it receives. Fribourg shall receive CHF387.4 million (CHF380.6 million in 2019), Vaud CHF72.2 million (CHF65.9 million in 2019), Valais CHF759 million (against CHF730.2 million in 2019) Neuchâtel CHF237.8 million (CHF172.9 million in 2019) and Jura CHF167.5 million (CHF165.7 million in 2019).

The Swiss financial equalisation scheme has three different objectives: to assist cantons to improve their potential, to offset costs in expensive cantons and to prevent a deterioration of the financial situation in any canton.

The equalisation framework is currently being reformed, with half to target socially disadvantaged groups and the other half to go to poorer cantons from 2022 onwards.

German-speaking cantons to foot the bill

As the most economically powerful cantons, several German-speaking regions are set to pay more into the equalisation scheme – or receive less money as a result.

Bern is set to receive CHF1.1012 billion against CHF1.1870 billion in 2019, while Zurich will continue to make the greatest contribution to the scheme. The central Swiss region of Zug will continue to make the highest per capita contribution (CHF2685).

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Inheritance in Switzerland: Which country's laws should dual nationals follow?

First, let’s look at what Swiss inheritance / succession legislation says.

Who gets what depends on whether you have a will or not when you die (the latter’s legal term is ‘intestate.’)

If you don’t have a will, your estate will be divvied up among your legal heirs: spouse or registered partner and children.

Typically, the spouse gets half of your assets and the children the other half, to be divided equally among them.

In case you have no kids, your parents or even grandparents could inherit from you.

Next in the statuary succession rights are siblings.

If, however, you have no living relatives whatsoever, your estate will go to the canton or commune of your last residence.

What if you do have a will?

It will give you some, though not total, flexibility in who you want to leave your assets to — and how much.

For instance, you can choose who your heirs will be and how your estate should be distributed among them.

You can decide to give more than a half to your spouse and less to the children, or vice-versa.

However, your legal heirs — that is, spouse and children — cannot be cut out of your will altogether.

Note that this law applies to Swiss citizens only. If you are a foreign national living in Switzerland, your succession is normally governed by the laws of your country.

However, if you a long-term resident and plan to remain here permanently — for instance, if you have a C permit — you can choose the Swiss law instead of the foreign one to apply upon your death. But you must state your preference in your will.

If you die intestate, then the Swiss legislation will kick in, as it will be deemed the law of your last place of residence.

READ ALSO: 7 things you need to know about Swiss inheritance law

What about dual nationals?

At present, those who have Swiss citizenship in addition to a foreign one, must abide by Switzerland’s inheritance law only.

That’s because, for all intents and purposes (including legal ones), they are considered to be Swiss citizens only.

However, this will soon change.

On December 22nd, 2023, the parliament adopted the Federal Act on International Private Law (PILA), which will give dual nationals in Switzerland the option of basing their succession on the laws of their ‘other’ country of citizenship.

However, in doing so, dual nationals can’t derogate from Swiss statuary succession rules — that is, they won’t be able to exclude spouses and children from inheriting their part of the estate.

The new legislation is expected to come into force on January 1st, 2025.

READ ALSO: What you should know about dying in Switzerland

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