Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
US President Donald Trump is once again dominating headlines in the Swiss media with his sweeping round of tariffs. The economy is reeling after the announcement of 31% punitive tariffs on Swiss exports to the United States.
Today’s briefing also covers Switzerland’s growing population and a robot that may soon be helping care for the elderly.
Happy reading!
US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariff increases, shaking global trade policy. Switzerland has been hit particularly hard, facing punitive tariffs totalling 31%.
This puts the country in a worse position than many other key trading partners. By comparison, goods from the EU are subject to tariffs of 20%. The Trump administration calculated the Swiss rate by dividing the US trade deficit with Switzerland by the total value of Swiss exports to the United States – what SRF economic journalists Lucia Theiler and Damian Rast described as a Milchbüechli (milk-carton) calculation that makes little sense.
The United States is Switzerland’s biggest export market. While the pharmaceutical sector – the top export industry – is exempt, these new tariffs are expected to heavily impact the metals, machinery and food sectors.
Reactions from the business community have been swift and critical. Economiesuisse described the tariffs as a “serious burden” and a “trade policy escalation”. Swissmem, the industry association for the tech sector, called them a “severe blow”. “We expect a massive decline in our sales to the USA,” said Jean-Philippe Kohl, Deputy Director and Head of Economic Policy at Swissmem.
In response to Trump’s tariff announcement, the Swiss government held an extraordinary session today.
Speaking to the media, Swiss President and Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said: “The US has based its decision on its own calculations, which the Federal Council cannot comprehend.” Switzerland, she added, would not retaliate but instead seek diplomatic solutions.
Talks with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have already taken place. Keller-Sutter noted that Switzerland is unlikely to be targeted by EU countermeasures.
Politicians across the political spectrum voiced concern. Swiss People’s Party MP Franz Grüter, a known Trump supporter, called the tariffs a “major miscalculation” that would fuel US inflation. He urged the Federal Council to highlight the benefits Switzerland brings to the US economy despite its trade surplus.
Social Democratic Party Co-President Cédric Wermuth criticised what he called Trump’s “aggressive attempts at intimidation”, while his party reiterated the need for stable and close ties with the EU – Switzerland’s most important trading partner. Gerhard Pfister, president of The Centre, warned that the new tariffs “harm everyone – including Switzerland”, and said the priority now is strengthening ties with reliable partners.
At the end of 2024, Switzerland’s population reached an all-time high of 9,048,900, according to new figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Overall, the population grew by 1% in 2024 – a slower rate than in 2023. All 26 cantons saw increases, with the highest growth in Schaffhausen. Immigration decreased compared to 2023, while emigration rose slightly. Of the 125,600 people who left the country, 30,100 were Swiss citizens.
Meanwhile, the birth rate fell for the third consecutive year, hitting a record low. The average number of children per woman dropped from 1.33 in 2023 to 1.28 in 2024 – the lowest figure ever recorded. Combined with a continued high number of deaths, the birth surplus was just 6,200 – the lowest since 1918.
Ageing remains a key demographic factor. Of all deaths in 2024, 88% were people over the age of 65. Life expectancy continues to rise: it now stands at 86 years for women and 82.5 years for men.
By 2050, the number of over-80s in Switzerland is expected to more than double. Could remote-controlled robots offer a solution?
“Robody”, developed by federal technology institute ETH Zurich graduate Rafael Hostettler and his team at Devanthro, has been on trial in a Zurich retirement home. So far, the robot has proven useful for simple tasks like fetching water and delivering post. “Complex things, like helping someone to get up, don’t work,” says Hostettler.
The idea is twofold: to help older people stay in their homes longer, and to support care workers in institutions. Robody can be remotely operated by care services, relatives or even doctors – offering flexibility and cost savings in a sector under strain.
The technology is still in development and not cheap. Hostettler estimates the cost will be similar to that of a live-in carer, offered as a monthly service.
Translated from German using DeepL/amva
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