By the numbers: public purse bulges while e-cars are on the rise

Ueli Maurer explains his public finances' math to broadcast journalists from Switzerland's three main language regions. © KEYSTONE / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

Almost every article published by swissinfo.ch contains a percentage, an age, an amount of money or some other figure. Here’s a round-up of the most interesting statistics to appear in the past week’s stories.

Monday

1,200

Kurds living in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe gathered in the centre of Lausanne to protest the Turkish bombing of Afrine, a Kurdish enclave in Syria. The 1,200-strong group walked in several stages to Geneva, where they demonstrated in front of the United Nations a few days later.

Tuesday

10,078

The number of new members who joined the euthanasia organisation Exit last year. In 2017, 734 people ended their lives using Exit’s services. 

Wednesday

2.8 billion

This was the healthy surplus – in Swiss francs – announced by Finance Minister Ueli Maurer, compared to a forecast deficit of CHF250 million. The difference was due mainly to higher-than-estimated tax revenues. 

Thursday

100

The number of foreign spy agencies with whom the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) has collaborated over the past seven years. The Swiss secret service continues to expand in terms of staff and the amount of work it has to handle.

Friday

10

The percentage of new cars on Swiss roads that should be either electric or hybrid by 2020. That’s according to the association of Swiss car importers, who have called for better recharging infrastructure and tax breaks. The proportion of e-cars in Switzerland reached 2.7% in 2017.