Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
It’s holiday time. At the weekend, the obligatory summer traffic jam formed again in front of the north portal of the Gotthard tunnel. Several parliamentary motions are calling for holiday travellers to be charged for this.
I’m staying in Switzerland in the summer – unlike some members of the federal government. You can find out where they are travelling to (or not) in today’s briefing.
Best wishes from Bern.
Tourists should pay a transit fee to regulate the traffic jam at the Gotthard road tunnel. At least that’s the latest idea from politicians.
Just in time for the start of the holiday season, a ten-kilometre column of traffic formed in front of the north portal of the Gotthard tunnel on Sunday. The waiting time before entering the tunnel was up to an hour and 40 minutes. Canton Uri also suffers from these regular mega jams.
Could a dynamic pricing system solve the problem? After the House of Representatives rejected the idea of a tunnel fee, various members of parliament have now made another attempt: they are proposing that foreign tourists should pay a transit fee, depending on the time of day and day of the week.
The proposals are supported across the political spectrum. According to SRF News, however, it’s questionable whether such a fee would violate the land transport agreement between Switzerland and the EU.
Let’s stay on the subject of holidays. Where are the seven members of the government travelling to this summer? Here’s a brief overview from the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA.
A train journey through France, Belgium and the Netherlands. That’s what Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider is treating herself to this summer. Both Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter and Justice Minister Beat Jans are planning to spend some time in Switzerland and abroad, plus a few days with their families.
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis plans to spend this summer in his home canton of Ticino, hiking, reading and working on files, according to the foreign ministry. Albert Rösti, who holds the environment, transport, energy and communications portfolio, also wants to spend his holidays in Switzerland, but has not ruled out a trip to a neighbouring country.
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin wants to spend the summer holidays in the Vaud mountains but also visit friends in Burgundy, in France. Finally, Defence and Sports Minister Martin Pfister is being Swiss and sporty: he will spend his holidays in Switzerland and take the opportunity to attend various matches of the women’s Euro 2025 football championship.
People have a more critical relationship with their health insurance provider and switch more frequently in French-speaking Switzerland than in German-speaking Switzerland, according to a study.
A full 59% of respondents in French-speaking Switzerland said their health insurance company was partly responsible for the cost increases in the healthcare system. In German-speaking Switzerland, only 27% are of this opinion. These are the findings of the latest survey by auditing firm Deloitte, as reported by the Tribune de Genève and 24heures.
One of the reasons could be the fact that premiums in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland are significantly higher than in the German-speaking part of the country. This is particularly the case in cantons Geneva and Ticino. In German-speaking Switzerland, people are more likely to view the health insurance company as a partner in the healthcare system.
The study also raised the question of a single health insurance fund. This idea was more popular in French-speaking Switzerland (72%) than in German-speaking Switzerland (60%). A total of 63% of the 1,212 respondents were in favour. Another premium increase is due this autumn. In French-speaking Switzerland 59% and in German-speaking Switzerland 37% are in favour of comparing their premiums and possibly changing insurer.
The Glarus Landsgemeinde has suddenly reached an audience of millions. How?
We regularly read about problems with voting machines in the United States. So how must it appear to readers in that country when a Swiss voters vote by hand? And with full confidence in the accuracy of the result. Two Swiss cantons are familiar with the concept of the Landsgemeinde: Appenzell Inner Rhodes and Glarus.
The latter has now attracted international attention. Not because electoral fraud has come to light. No, journalist Nadia Beard from the National Geographic magazine has been fascinated by the principle of this traditional event, which dates back over 700 years, as reported by SRF News.
According to canton Glarus, National Geographic reaches an audience of 84 million people. So is this the best advertising for Glarus? It’s not yet clear what impact the article will have. In Appenzell Inner Rhodes, for example, the magazine featured the Äscher-Wildkirchli mountain inn on the front page of a book ten years ago and triggered incredible hype with its praise – which also had negative consequences.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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