Switzerland today

Greetings from Bern!

The vote results from Sunday are making a splash not just in Switzerland but also internationally as gay marriage wins the support of the majority of Swiss citizens. But Monday also takes us back to a tragedy that happened 20 years ago.

Bigger bills for everyone. © Keystone / Christian Beutler

In the news: Banks and bank accounts prepare to absorb punishment from above.

• The management of Switzerland’s largest bank UBS spent a sleepless night in vain. Today, the Paris Appeals Court was supposed to arrive at a decision on a monumental CHF4.9 billion worth of fines and damages imposed on the bank in 2019 for facilitating tax evasion. Instead the court decided to prolong the suspense and postponed its decision to December 13 because a judge fell ill. Another bank that will have its day in court is private Falcon bank which was linked to the 1MDB scandal and has since ceased operating. It will become the first bank to face trial in Switzerland for money laundering charges. Previous offenders got away with a fine. 
• Ordinary Swiss residents’ wallets are also going to take a hit. The premiums on mandatory health insurance are expected to increase significantly in 2022 as hospitals resume outpatient services after a Covid pause. Insurers will share the bad news with their clients tomorrow. 
• Online shopping from abroad is also going to get pricier for those living in Switzerland. The government has decided to impose a value added tax (VAT) of 7.7% on all goods entering the country via post. Until now, packages valued under CHF65 were exempt from VAT.

Gay marriage will be possible from summer next year. Keystone / Marcio Jose Sanchez

Story of the day: Switzerland has voted for gay marriage.

It is rare that Switzerland makes it into the global news agenda. Seems like today is the day with 65% of Swiss voters casting a ballot in favour of gay marriage on Sunday.

How did the Swiss Abroad vote? Well, 72% of Swiss expats voted yes. According to Lukas Golder of the polling institute Gfs.bern, this is because many of them live, work or travel in large large urban areas and in recent years have had “the opportunity to experience greater acceptance and visibility [of same-sex couples] than in Switzerland”.

Mourning the victims of the shooting. Keystone / Urs Flueeler

20^th anniversary: Zug shooting spree.

Twenty years ago, the Central Swiss town of Zug was left reeling by a gunman’s attack that killed 14 local politicians and injured 18, some of them seriously. In the space of two and a half minutes, the 57-year-old assailant, who bore a grudge against the legal system, fired more than 90 shots and ignited a home-made bomb before killing himself. The shooting spree was even more traumatic as it happened barely two weeks after the 9-11 terror attacks in New York. The BBC called it a “Day of Rage”External link at the time.

Today, the government of Zug will be marking the 20th anniversary of the tragedy with a memorial service at the St. Michael’s Church and the Zug cantonal flag on the government building will fly at half-mast.

“Even if the horror fades over time, the memory of the lost relatives remains,” tweeted Swiss President Guy Parmelin. 

C‘est avec beaucoup d‘émotions que je suis aujourd'hui en pensées avec les familles et amis des victimes de la fusillade de Zoug, survenue il y a maintenant 20 ans. Si le temps estompe l'horreur, le souvenir des proches disparus demeure. Qu'ils reposent en paix. pic.twitter.com/s66H5Fdin4External link

— Guy Parmelin (@ParmelinG) September 27, 2021External link