Photo of a crowd and Swiss flag in the background and black man

Switzerland Today

This content was published on February 28, 2024 - 18:00

5 minutes

Born and raised in Italy, Sara lived in the UK for a few years and then moved to Bern. As a multimedia journalist she loves to listen to people’s stories and bring news to social media, especially about human rights and climate change.

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Greetings from Switzerland, where big changes might be on the horizon: from a proposal to have some French medical professionals employed in Geneva assisting in hospitals in France to an initiative to have foreigners convicted of hate speech deported from the country.

But first, let’s take a look at the news stories that hit the headlines today.

Photo of a woman crying looking at a man — KEYSTONE

In the news: Swisscom eyeing up Vodafone Italy, corruption in Switzerland, and better protection for foreign victims of domestic violence.

Swiss telecoms operator Swisscom announced that it is in “exclusive” talks to buy Vodafone Italia, thus continuing its expansion in Italy and becoming the second-largest operator south of the Alps. Upon completion of the €8 billion (CHF 7.6 billion) takeover, the target company would merge with Fastweb, the Swiss firm’s Italian subsidiary.
The Swiss parliament has allocated millions to protect the European Union’s external borders. Politicians in Bern want Switzerland to continue to contribute financially to the protection of the Schengen space. The Senate has approved a bill which involves a contribution of around CHF300 million ($340 million) for seven years.
According to a recent study, one in three Swiss companies admits paying bribes abroad, with more than half of them facing demands for under-the-table payments in their foreign businesses. The study reveals that such bribes are even more common than ten years ago.
Victims of domestic violence will no longer lose their Swiss residence status. In an attempt to provide better protection for foreign victims of domestic violence, the Swiss parliament decided that anyone who leaves a violent relationship will in future be considered a hardship case and will no longer lose their residence status. Currently, victims of violence with a residence or short-term residence permit or who have been temporarily admitted are threatened with the loss of their residence papers if the marriage is dissolved.

Photo of three doctors looking over a bed with patient — KEYSTONE/© KEYSTONE / GAETAN BALLY

An exchange of healthcare workers between France and Switzerland: a possible solution to the shortage of healthcare professionals in France?

Cross-border work in the cantons of Basel, Geneva and Ticino is one of the most attractive forms of employment for people who live in Switzerland’s neighbouring countries. Living in Germany, France or Italy on a Swiss wage is often advantageous, but equally controversial.

One example is the shortage of healthcare workers in the French town of Annemasse, where most healthcare professionals prefer working in nearby Geneva, as reported by the Swiss newspaper BlickExternal link today. This is why mayor Christian Dupessey came up with the proposal to allow some medical staff currently employed in Geneva’s public hospitals to occasionally assist in French hospitals.

But how feasible is it? Today, the Tribune de GenèveExternal link newspaper heard from the head of the Geneva Department of Health, Pierre Maudet. He said he would be “open to reflection”, but that implementing such a solution would be complex.

Photo of a woman holding a sign saying "No racism" — KEYSTONE

If you hate, you’re out: a Swiss parliamentary committee suggests expelling foreign hate speakers.

Hate speech is on the rise worldwide, and Switzerland is no exception. In recent years, the number of convictions for discrimination or incitement to hatred has increased slightly in the Alpine country. And in 2022, 19 out of 74 people convicted of hate speech were foreigners.

The Legal Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives has decided to adopt the initiative “Include hate speech in the catalogue of deportations”. The proposal, which came from a Liberal Green, aims to expel foreign nationals living in Switzerland who are convicted of publicly discriminating against people based on their skin colour, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or similar grounds.

However, some members of the Green Party suggested that automatically deporting convicted hate speakers goes too far. Now, the Legal Committee of the Senate will discuss the proposal.

Racial profiling is when police conduct targeted checks on people solely because of their skin colour. KEYSTONE/KEYSTONE/Ennio Leanza

Racism in Swiss police forces: the European Court of Human Rights rules against Switzerland.

Racism can come in many forms and while parliamentary committees are addressing the issue of hate speech, Switzerland is also grappling with another social problem: racial profiling by police.

Last week, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg condemned Switzerland for racial profiling. It is the first time that the court has categorised a specific police check as discriminatory. In this article, my colleague Benjamin von Wyl explains what racial profiling is and speaks to some experts who consider this ruling a “landmark decision”.