Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
A gold coin creates discord and in Moutier the right to vote is extended to foreigners. Meanwhile, in western Switzerland, there is concern about the rise in evictions.
Even though the Swiss national team was eliminated from the tournament, the success story of the European Women's Football Championship continues. Better enjoy the show, it could be the last time Switzerland can host this event on its own.
Enjoy the read!
A collector has filed a criminal complaint for fraud against the Federal Mint (Swissmint) in connection with the sale of commemorative gold Vreneli. According to the complainant, Swissmint deliberately manipulated the online sale.
The gold Vreneli is a special coin, minted for the first time in 1925. To celebrate this jubilee, 2,500 copies of a commemorative edition went on sale on July 1 this year. But Swissimint’s online sales platform collapsed and many collectors were left empty-handed.
The news of the complaint appeared in the Sonntagszeitung and the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland later confirmed that it was looking into the case. The collector claims that the manipulation would have benefited 27 dealers officially favoured by Swissmint and a few others who were able to buy the Vreneli despite the site temporarily crashing.
The Federal Department of Finance, to which Swissmint depends, rejects the accusations and specifies that the reason for the crash of the site on July 1 is currently being analysed.
The official issue price of the commemorative Vreneli was CHF3,500. However, examples have appeared in online shops at prices ranging from CHF10,000 to CHF36,000.
The press in French-speaking Switzerland has covered the issue of evictions. There are no statistics at on evictions at the national level but according to data collected by the newspapers of the Tamedia group, it is increasing.
The newspaper 24 heures cites as an example the case of the Lausanne region, where evictions have risen from 103 in 2020 to 152 in 2024. In Geneva, the police systematically go to the scene when a person is expelled from their home. Last year it happened 239 times, a record.
Behind these figures there are often “human dramas”, write the Tamedia newspapers, recalling that those who are evicted are often families or elderly people who no longer have savings and can no longer pay the rent following an illness or an accident.
There are many possible reasons behind this increase: a law that makes eviction relatively quick and simple, the general growth in rents (increased by 30% in 20 years, according to the Federal Statistical Office) and the decline in the economic fortunes of the middle class.
A thousand foreign citizens residing in Moutier will already obtain the right to vote at municipal and cantonal level this year – not for the canton of Bern but for Jura, of which the city will be part from January 1, 2026.
Unlike the canton of Bern, the Jura grants the right to vote to foreigners who have lived in Switzerland for 10 years and in the canton for one year. The only exceptions concern votes on constitutional amendments.
These are 1,114 foreigners residing in Moutier who on October 19 will already be able to have their say on the election of the Jura government and the seven deputies that the district is authorised to send to Parliament. At the same time, the new voters will also be able to participate in two municipal votes.
The granting of voting rights to foreigners was one of the arguments put forward by those who supported the change of canton in view of the vote that, in 2021, put an end to the long and daring history of Jura separatism in the canton of Bern.
The European Women’s Football Championship, which runs until Sunday in Switzerland, is already considered a success story. However, the chances that the Swiss government will be able to organise a similar event on its own in the future are slim.
The Swiss national team’s European dream was shattered on Friday against Spain but the celebration of the sport continues in Switzerland. Despite the defeat – and the rain – thousands of people paid tribute to the Swiss players at the Bern fan zone on Saturday. The city of Bern is pleased with the impact of the tournament and parallel events and stated that “expectations have been exceeded”.
Basel witnessed a landmark as far as spectator support is concerned. During the quarter-final match between France and Germany at St. Jakob-Park, the majority of tickets (52%) were purchased by women.
The Swiss edition of these European Championships is giving new life and impetus to women’s football. However, it will be the last time, writes 24 heures. “The size that this competition will take, in terms of infrastructure or the number of teams in the final tournament, will prevent Switzerland from launching itself into such a project,” says Dominic Blanc, director of the Swiss Football Association (SFA) and the mastermind behind Switzerland’s bid to host this championship.
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