Couchepin’s domestic reform proposals cause uproar

While Swiss Economics Minister Pascal Couchepin is paying an official visit to the United States to improve economic relations, his reform proposals at home have upset many people across the political spectrum.

This content was published on July 12, 1999 - 17:35

1 minute

Viola Amherd, right, President of the Swiss Confederation, and Denys Shmyhal, left, Prime Minister of Ukraines, talk together during a bilateral meeting at the Ukraine Mine Action Conference, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Thursday, October 17, 2024.

More

Swiss diplomacy

Switzerland signs controversial reconstruction aid package for Ukraine

Read more: Switzerland signs controversial reconstruction aid package for Ukraine

from left, US President Gerald Ford, Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Prime Minister Andrei Gromyko, walk in front of the Soviet embassy in Helsinki during the CSCE 1975 conference.

More

Swiss diplomacy

50 years of the Helsinki Accords: Switzerland’s role between the blocs

Read more: 50 years of the Helsinki Accords: Switzerland’s role between the blocs

Geneva hosts some 1,350 foundations, many of which receive public funding from Switzerland and other countries.

More

International Geneva

A Geneva-based global health foundation came close to ‘collapse’. Where were regulators?   

Read more: A Geneva-based global health foundation came close to ‘collapse’. Where were regulators?   

Zurich

More

Demographics

Is Switzerland repeating England’s housing mistakes?

Read more: Is Switzerland repeating England’s housing mistakes?

Vincenzo de Bellis photographed at this year's Art Basel in Basel

More

Swiss fine arts

Art Basel expands to Qatar despite the drums of war in the Middle East

Read more: Art Basel expands to Qatar despite the drums of war in the Middle East

More

Are you noticing or anticipating any changes in your life as a result of the tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump?

How do you think your life could be impacted by the US tariff policy? Let us know.

Join the discussion

Aug 5, 2025

16 Likes

17 Comments

View the discussion

More

Would you want to know if you were at risk of a disease? Why or why not?

How early would you like to know if you were prone to a disease, and have you ever experienced issues with a diagnosis? Tell us about your story.

Join the discussion

Aug 25, 2025

1 Comments

View the discussion

More

Does your country of residence offer an e-ID?

Switzerland is voting on a new e-ID system. Has your country of residence already introduced one? And does it make your life easier?

Join the discussion

Aug 15, 2025

11 Likes

11 Comments

View the discussion

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.