High costs: healthcare and eating out

Voters clearly rejected initiatives to create a single health insurance scheme and a level VAT playing field for restaurants and takeaways in a nationwide ballot on September 28, 2014.

Latest news

Press review Voters weren’t up for a radical cure, say media

The idea of a single Swiss health insurance has exposed flaws in the current system and will hopefully lead to improvements, say media pundits.

By Susan Misicka

Political participation One canton says yes to foreigners in government; another no

Canton Jura has voted to allow foreigners to hold seats in government, while canton Schaffhausen said no to a proposal allowing non-Swiss to vote.

Easing traffic Lake Geneva tunnel project turned down by voters

Voters in canton Geneva have rejected plans to build a new 1.5-kilometre-long road tunnel under the lake close to the city’s famous Jet d’Eau ...

Issue at stake: Single health insurance

Health insurance Swiss healthcare: between the state and the free market

Two-speed healthcare systems are now a reality in Europe. Although there is a general trend towards systems combining state control and free ...

By Sonia Fenazzi

Health vote Who has the best health insurance model?

The Swiss health system ranks highly but weaknesses persist. Will a move to introduce a single-payer insurance system help solve these?

By Simon Bradley

Opinion Health insurance needs to be more democratic

If the initiative “For a single public health insurer” is adopted in the upcoming nationwide vote on September 28, Switzerland’s health insurance ...

By Franco Cavalli

Issue at stake: VAT on eating out

Tax rate vote Restaurant owners cry foul over takeaways

Swiss restaurants and hotels have been suffering as a result of competition from takeaways. Their trade association has mounted a political ...

By Armando Mombelli

Cost analysis Switzerland is Europe’s priciest country

Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe, according to the latest data from the European Statistics Office Eurostat. In Switzerland, ...

Restaurants Minimum wage grilled by catering industry

The minimum wage initiative, on which the Swiss will vote on May 18, will have particularly negative consequences for the catering industry, ...

Interactive How the Swiss voted

Key facts

Switzerland’s direct democracy How the Swiss political system works

Together with neutrality and federalism, direct democracy is a part of the Swiss national identity and helps unite the various languages, ...

By Michele Andina

Democracy in action Going to the polls

A vote weekend in Switzerland - ballots are cast at local, cantonal and national levels. Swiss citizens are called to cast their votes several ...

Navigation

Skiplink Navigation

Main Features

Search function