New statistics reveal that there are now two times more single-parent households in Switzerland than in 1970, the vast majority of which are run by single mothers.
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В Швейцарии родилось меньше детей и стало больше родителей-одиночек
According to figures published by the Federal Office of StatisticsExternal link on Thursday, in 2018 around 72% of the 1.2 million households in Switzerland were managed by married couples with children.
The second most common family structure was a single-parent household at 15.5%. Some 143,000 single-parent households were managed by mothers with children under 25 years old compared to 28,800 by fathers.
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More babies born to unmarried parents
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The Federal Office of Statistics said in its annual population report on Monday that the total number of births in Switzerland fell by about 900 last year – a decrease of 1.1%. But of the approximately 85,600 total births, about 20,200 were outside of wedlock compared to 19,800 in 2015. In Switzerland, women of childbearing…
Couples with consensual unions are the third most common family form (6.5%). Same-sex couples are still a small minority (0.1%). At the end of January, the government announced it was in favour of a proposal to give homosexual couples the right to marry quickly.
However, it said the topic of medically assisted procreation should be addressed at a later stage.
Homeownership stats
The Federal Office of StatisticsExternal link also released new figures on homeownership which found that nearly half of Swiss residents own a property. However, there are big differences between cantons.
Italian-speaking Ticino in the south, known as a retirement canton, boasts the largest percentage of homeowners with around 70% of the population owning a home. Among the seven major regions, greater Zurich and Geneva sport the lowest rates at 43.9% and 44.4%, respectively.
The homeownership rate is slightly lower, with about 38% of properties occupied by owners throughout Switzerland. In canton Valais, which has a strong tradition of home ownership, the ratio is highest with 57.3% of properties occupied by owners. In contrast, Basel City and Geneva have home ownership rates around 20%.
Between 1990 and 2005, the percentage of owner-occupiers increased from 30% to 36% but has been fairly stable since 2010. Residents over 65 years old are among the most frequent homeowners at about 48%.
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How the Swiss live – from co-operatives to mobile homes
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From a single-family dwelling to a hip co-operative to a quirky home on wheels: in this series, Swiss people open their doors to swissinfo.ch.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Porrentruy mayor comments on Swiss pool ban controversy
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The mayor of the Swiss town of Porrentruy, which has been in the headlines in neighbouring France after restricting access to a pool to locals after a spate of anti-social behaviour, says he has received much support in recent days.
Swiss universities to release multilingual AI programme
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This summer researchers at Swiss universities will make available a large language model (LLM), an AI programme trained on vast amounts of data, developed on public infrastructure.
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After a one-year test phase, Zurich's cantonal police are introducing an online police station. Demand is high and the response from the public has been positive.
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The chic resort of St Moritz in southeastern Switzerland has registered "summer" as a trademark under the name "St Summer". The resort in canton Graubünden is launching a campaign to strengthen its summer business.
Swiss authorities detail progress on station access for people with reduced mobility
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The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) said on Wednesday that 43 stations had been adapted for people with reduced mobility last year. The vast majority of rail travellers (82%) now benefit from easier access to stations, it says.
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The prices of homes and apartments in Switzerland rose again in June. In the Lake Geneva region, prices of detached houses rose sharply. Meanwhile, in Zurich and its surrounding region the opposite trend was observed.
Crowded airports expected in Switzerland this summer
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Switzerland's main airports are preparing for a busy summer holiday period. A number of changes have been introduced to improve passenger flows that are expected to be well above average in July and August.
Zurich police arrest 38 football and hockey fans after violent incidents
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Zurich police have investigated 48 cases of fan violence at stadiums in the Swiss city since last autumn and arrested a total of 38 people, Swiss public television, SRF, reports.
Cashflow problems affect UN Human Rights Council activities
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Certain activities of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council cannot be carried out in 2025-2026 due of the ongoing cash crisis affecting the UN.
Plaintiffs take Khaled Nezzar case to European Court of Human Rights
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Two plaintiffs in a serious war crimes case against former Algerian Defence Minister Khaled Nezzar have filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.
Cooperative living: a hip alternative for the Swiss
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For residents of the Hunziker housing cooperative outside Zurich, sharing space and resources is more than efficiency – it is about community.
In Switzerland, having a child is becoming a luxury
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Women in Switzerland are having fewer children, and they are having them later. Our series on parenting in Switzerland explores why.
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