Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
The latest Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) poll ahead of the November 30 federal vote shows a clear no to taxing large inheritances and mixed opinions on a civic service initiative.
Also in today’s briefing: a Swiss man convicted for drug smuggling in Australia, a growing shortage of age-appropriate housing, and the story of a rare but vital profession – the official mushroom inspector.
The first SBC poll ahead of the November 30 vote suggests the inheritance tax initiative, launched by the youth chapter of the Social Democratic Party, is heading for defeat, while voters remain evenly split on the civic service proposal.
The initiative “For a Committed Switzerland” calls for all Swiss citizens, including women, to perform community or environmental service – either in the army, civil defence or civilian roles. According to the poll, 48% would vote in favour, 46% against and 6% are undecided. However, the prospects of the text are not favourable: as campaigns progress, popular initiatives typically lose support.
Though the words “inheritance tax” do not actually appear in the title of the initiative, the proposal to impose a 50% tax on inheritances above CHF50 million ($62.7 million) is clearly heading for failure at the ballot box, with 62% already saying they are against or rather against. The proceeds of the 50% tax would be earmarked for climate action. The full name of the proposal is: “For a social climate policy – financed through fair taxation (Initiative for a Future)”.
By 2040, Switzerland’s population aged 65 and over will rise by more than a third, from 1.73 million to 2.38 million. A study by the real estate consultancy Wüest Partner estimates that 393,000 additional homes adapted to older residents’ needs will be required nationwide.
The areas most affected by the shortage of accessible housing, defined as homes or apartments without too many stairs or obstacles and with suitable sanitary facilities, are the Aarau region (which will need 16,000 more accommodations by 2040), the city of Zurich (11,000) and canton Geneva (over 20,000 more accommodations).
Supply is already tight, particularly for affordable two- to three-room apartments. These accommodations have dropped by 40% over the past four years. Despite many older people expressing a desire to move into smaller, more suitable homes, high costs and emotional ties to current residences limit mobility. More than half of single seniors now spend over a third of their income on housing, especially in Zurich, Central Switzerland and parts of Ticino.
A 22-year-old man from canton Geneva has been sentenced in Australia to eight years and eight months in prison for drug trafficking. He was arrested in January upon arriving in Melbourne from Las Vegas with a suitcase containing cocaine. He has been in pre-trial detention ever since.
Authorities found 21 kilograms of white powder, of which nearly 15 kilograms were pure cocaine, valued at around CHF4.5 million ($5.65 million). Initially, he told customs officers he had packed the suitcase himself and believed it contained clothing bought in the United States.
He later claimed the luggage had been given to him in Los Angeles by an unknown person. According to his own statements, the man was unaware of the nature of the contents and also to whom he was supposed to entrust it upon arrival. He stated that he was contacted while still in Switzerland by a man who promised him $4,000 for for travel and accommodation.
He had been facing a life sentence, but the judge, who acknowledged his youth and strong prospects for rehabilitation, described his remorse as genuine. “You have your whole life ahead of you,” the magistrate said when handing down a reduced sentence.
The profession of official mushroom inspector is disappearing in Switzerland, but it remains essential, says Pierre-Alain Leresche, himself a mushroom inspector.
For Leresche, an official mushroom inspector for the city of Lausanne, his job is not a luxury but a vital protective measure. “On average, more than half of the mushrooms brought to me are inedible or too old,” he told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-ATS.
Mushroom picking remains a national passion – one that grew during the Covid-19 pandemic and with the rise of social media. “Two or three photos online, and everyone rushes to the woods,” Leresche noted, stressing the need for safety checks.
However, a third of inspection centres have disappeared in recent decades, even though Switzerland remains the only country in the world offering this public service. “Unfortunately, the Confederation is abandoning it for budgetary reasons,” he added.
The Swiss Association of Official Mushroom Control Bodies (Vapko), which is celebrating its centenary this year, has launched a petition, signed by 3,000 people so far, calling on parliament to reinstate mandatory control centres in all cantons.
Translated from Italian using DeepL/amva/ts
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