The Swiss voice in the world since 1935

Hundreds protest vote to raise Swiss women’s retirement age

Two women carry flags calling for justice for women in Switzerland
Women are demanding equal pay and opportunities in Switzerland. Peter Schneider/Keystone

Several hundred people gathered in the Swiss capital, Bern, to protest the verdict of a nationwide vote to raise the age of retirement for women.

A slim majority of voters on Sunday backed a proposal for women to retire at 65 rather than 64. The measure is designed to boost the coffers of Switzerland’s creaking pension system.

But protestors on Monday demanded that inequalities, such as pay and obstacles for working mothers, be addressed by politicians.

+ How Switzerland voted to raise the age of retirement for women

The action should be viewed as “the first declaration of war against rich, old, white men” who had decided that women should work longer, said Tamara Funiciello of the Social Democrat Women group.

“Women carry this society, unpaid,” she said, adding that a women’s strike would be organized for June next year.

More than 10,000 people turned out for a Women’s Strike that was staged across Switzerland in 2019. The day of action called for equal rights between men and women and for action to be taken to stop violence against women.

Speaking on Sunday after the national vote, Interior Minister Alain Berset said the strength of opposition “is a clear signal to parliament to seek solutions to improve the position of women in a reform of the occupational pension system.”

Left-wing opponents of a raised retirement age denounced the result of the vote as an “insult for women”. They said women had to pay a high price and were still the victims of wage discrimination.

More


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Lakes in Central Switzerland have the best bathing water quality

More

Lakes in Central Switzerland have best water quality for bathing

This content was published on Anyone who swims in a lake in Central Switzerland need have no fear of infection from intestinal bacteria. The water samples taken at 65 bathing sites in 13 lakes all have good to excellent bathing water quality.

Read more: Lakes in Central Switzerland have best water quality for bathing
Historic ring stolen from Basel museum

More

Historic Russian ring stolen from Basel museum

This content was published on Unknown assailants have stolen a historic ring from a Basel museum. The stolen item was a gift from Russian Tsar Alexander I to his host in Basel in 1814.

Read more: Historic Russian ring stolen from Basel museum
Ceasefire drives stock markets higher

More

Ceasefire drives stock markets higher

This content was published on The ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war has visibly eased tensions on the financial markets. The SMI, Switzerland's leading stock market index, has risen above the 12,000 point mark again.

Read more: Ceasefire drives stock markets higher
Swiss stick to tipping in cash

More

Swiss stick to tipping in cash

This content was published on The vast majority of Swiss people tip in restaurants – and preferably in cash. However, there are regional differences.

Read more: Swiss stick to tipping in cash

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR