Parliamentarians vote themselves a pay rise
The Senate on Tuesday followed the House of Representatives in approving a pay rise for the 246 members of parliament. The rise will take effect in January, and cost a total of SFr3.8 million a year.
After a 10-year freeze on their salaries, members will receive a daily allowance of SFr400 – an increase of SFr100 – when they attend sessions of parliament.
There will also be increases for other people involved in the parliamentary process. The secretariats of the parliamentary parties will receive a large rise, and the annual allowances of the speakers of both houses will be doubled to SFr40,000.
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party – one of the four parties in government – made an unsuccessful attempt to challenge the increases when they were debated by the House of Representatives on Monday.
Most Swiss politicians are not involved full-time in politics. The vast majority have other jobs and cannot depend on their parliamentary allowances.
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