‘13th month’ pension rise can be funded via financial transaction tax, says Centre Party
Switzerland's Centre Party is in favour of a tax on financial transactions to fund the 13th pension payment initiative, which was approved by a majority of Swiss voters on March 3, says party president Gerhard Pfister.
The tax proposed by the party would be “more targeted” than a rise in valued-added tax (VAT), for example, and “minimal”, he told the Le Matin Dimanche newspaper on Sunday.
“It will affect companies that carry out a lot of financial transactions. It also has the advantage of not affecting private individuals,” said Pfister.
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The politician from Zug says he is also open to an increase in VAT or employee contributions. “At this stage, anything is possible,” he says. But “thinking we can finance a 13th pension by saving here and there is an illusion,” he continued, stressing that this would not be “painless”.
An additional 13th state pension payment will also have to be paid to beneficiaries of invalidity insurance (AI), Pfister said.
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“This is a direct consequence of the people’s decision. To do otherwise would be to discriminate against AI pensioners,” he said.
According to a survey published a week ago, 64% of Swiss people are in favour of introducing a tax on financial transactions to finance the 13th pension payment initiative. Just over half of those questioned (51%) were in favour of higher federal contributions via reductions in the Swiss army budget.
Adapted from French by DeepL/sb
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