Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Our selection of Swiss news on Thursday gives us an opportunity to dispel a few preconceived ideas: Switzerland is no longer seen as an island of security, and pensions paid abroad do not jeopardise the state pension system.
You will also learn that the Alpine nation has not been spared the Takata airbag scandal and that people are marking the centenary of one of the country's best-known artists.
Enjoy the read!
Swiss media are taking a look back at the career of one of Switzerland’s best-known artists on the international art scene. Jean Tinguely was born exactly one hundred years ago, on May 25, 1925.
The artist, who died in 1991, had several strings to his bow: painter, draughtsman and sculptor. He is best known for his animated mechanical sculptures and the monumental sculptures he created with his second wife, Niki de Saint Phalle.
Several exhibitions and events are planned over the coming weeks in Switzerland and Europe to celebrate the centenary of his birth. The Swiss cities of Fribourg, where he was born, and Basel, where he grew up, will be organising a series of special events.
The prize for originality goes to the Museum Tinguely in Basel. Until August 30, the public can discover the artist’s work by taking a ride on a ghost train set up in front of the museum.
Switzerland has also been affected by the Takata airbag scandal. According to an investigation by Swiss public radio, RTS, nearly 100,000 vehicles fitted with a potentially fatal airbag are still on Swiss roads.
The Japanese company Takata supplied the car industry with faulty airbags. The inflation capsule containing ammonium nitrate degrades over time and can explode in an accident or even unexpectedly, especially in hot and humid climates. The explosion can send metal fragments flying, causing serious or even fatal injuries.
Takata airbags have caused at least 44 deaths worldwide over the last ten years. The case has led to the largest recall campaign in the history of the car industry, with up to 20% of all cars being fitted with these airbags.
In Switzerland, the recall campaign began in 2010. But by spring 2025, 21 car brands had still not completed the replacement of defective airbags. Figures are hard to come by, but it is estimated that there are still around 100,000 vehicles with problematic airbags on the road in Switzerland. The brands most affected are BMW, VW, Citroën and Toyota. Fortunately, so far there have been no serious accidents in Switzerland.
The issue of Swiss pensions paid abroad is regularly discussed in political circles, especially when it’s about finding ways to save money. But state pension statistics show that pensions paid outside Switzerland have only a modest impact on the Swiss social insurance system, which remains under constant financial pressure.
It is undeniable that more state pensions are being paid abroad. Last December, almost a third of these benefits were received by people living outside Switzerland. This represented 806,900 recipients, 100,000 more than a year earlier. There has been a sharp increase since 2001, and this concerns both foreigners who have returned to their country of origin to spend their retirement and Swiss nationals living abroad.
But these pensions paid abroad are generally modest. The average monthly pension is CHF558 ($673) for non Swiss Abroad, CHF1,249 for Swiss Abroad and CHF1,915 for beneficiaries in Switzerland. This situation is explained by the fact that only 7% of beneficiaries abroad have paid full contributions to the state pension system.
Taking these two aspects into account, the pensions paid abroad have only a modest impact on the system. Finally, although a third of pensions are paid outside Switzerland, they represent only 15% of the total sum allocated by the state pension. In its statistical report, the Federal Social Insurance Office concludes that “foreign nationals have contributed more to the state pension system than they have received in benefits”.
Outside Switzerland, the Alpine nation is generally regarded as a safe and peaceful place to live. But occasionally a news story spoils this rather idyllic picture. For example, the US State Department has just placed Switzerland at risk level 1 for travel destinations.
But there’s no need to panic: Switzerland is not yet a dangerous destination. The US authorities are simply highlighting an increased risk of petty crime, particularly in large cities and busy tourist areas. As for terrorism and political violence, the US authorities speak of a “low to moderate” risk.
Are our American friends a little paranoid? Not necessarily. In Switzerland itself, reports show that the security situation is deteriorating somewhat. Shoplifting, for example, is on the increase on a massive scale. “We’re getting close to conditions in South Africa,” a retail representative recently told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper.
But the Swiss don’t seem to be as honest as they used to be. A study by moneyland.ch showed that 40% of the 1,500 people questioned admitted to having travelled at least once without a ticket, 25% to having stolen in a shop and 18% to having stolen items in a hotel.
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