Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Today in focus: BlueLight Humanitarian Airlines plans to launch humanitarian flights to crisis regions from 2026 – fast, neutral and without bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, the centre-right Radical-Liberal Party has had to revise its financial report and reported income upwards: from CHF3.4 million to CHF6.6 million ($4.2 million to 8.1 million) – a miscalculation with political repercussions.
I wish you a good read!
An airline with a Swiss cross on a blue background aims to fly where others no longer can. From 2026, BlueLight Humanitarian Airlines plans to deliver aid to crisis regions – quickly, transparently and without making a profit.
As the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) reports, Geneva-based entrepreneur and private pilot Pierre Bernheim, an heir to the watch maker Raymond Weil, wants to transform humanitarian aviation with BlueLight. His aircraft should be ready within 72 hours to transport relief goods, medical teams or injured people – and at fixed rates around 30% cheaper than existing operators. The Swiss foreign ministry calls the project a “valuable addition” to global emergency aid, while canton Geneva highlights potential cost savings for relief organisations.
The project is still in its early stages. Bernheim plans to lease two aircraft initially, with the long-term goal of building a small fleet at a cost of CHF22 million ($27 million) per plane. Around CHF5 million has already been raised via private donations, but firm commitments from major clients such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN World Food Programme are still missing.
If successful, BlueLight could one day support the evacuation of Swiss nationals from crisis zones or deliver vaccines during pandemics. Bernheim’s vision: a neutral, Swiss-based humanitarian airline symbolising solidarity in times of crisis.
The centre-right Radical-Liberal Party (FDP) has had to revise its 2024 income upwards from CHF3.4 million to CHF6.6 million ($4.2 million to $8.12 million) after discovering an error in its financial report. Press reports say the mistake is “embarrassing” for a party that prides itself on economic competence.
Under transparency rules, all political parties must report their finances to the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) by June 30. After the deadline, the Radical-Liberal Party realised it had omitted more than CHF3 million in donations. It remains unclear whether the mistake was found by the party or by the SFAO – both have declined to comment. The party says it “immediately” reported the oversight, explaining that certain campaign donations had not been classified as party contributions.
The incident has raised questions about financial transparency in politics. Although the correction does not change the ranking of party revenues – the left-wing Social Democratic Party still leads with CHF8.2 million – it undermines the Radical-Liberal Party’s image as the “party of business”.
According to the Tages-Anzeiger, the party is currently spending around CHF950,000 on its campaign against the inheritance tax initiative – more than any other group. It remains to be seen whether the accounting blunder will dent voter confidence.
The initiative “No to a Ten-Million Switzerland”, launched by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, aims to halt population growth – even if that means ending free movement with the European Union. The Centre Party’s proposed counter-proposal has failed in a Senate committee, meaning the initiative is likely to go directly to a nationwide vote, possibly as early as 2026.
The relevant Senate committee has decided not to support either the initiative or a counter-proposal. According to the online news site Watson, a majority fears that a direct counter-proposal would “send the wrong signal”. The challenges of immigration and population growth must be “met with other measures”.
Centre Party leader Philipp Matthias Bregy warned in Tamedia newspapers that ignoring public sentiment would be “a major political mistake”. His party’s counter-proposal, however, found no support in the 13-member Senate committee – just as it failed in the House of Representatives during the autumn session.
The People’s Party is calling for “sustainable population development”, declaring that Switzerland’s population should not exceed ten million in 2050. If there are already 9.5 million people living in the country before then, the government and parliament must take action, it says. Ultimately, the last step would be to revoke free movement with the EU.
The majority of the committee, however, wants to preserve the bilateral approach with the EU, citing the shortage of skilled labour and a shrinking workforce.
For the first time, there are more daycare places than children in Swiss cities. What might sound like a success is actually threatening many small childcare centres – and creating uncertainty for parents. The market is consolidating, small providers are disappearing and large chains are taking over.
Where waiting lists used to be long, some childcare centres are now empty. Falling birth rates and years of generous start-up subsidies have led to an oversupply in cities such as Zurich, where the coverage rate now exceeds 97%, a record level. According to CH Media newspapers, some centres are now struggle to fill spots. Smaller providers are under pressure, while major players such as Globegarden, Pop e Poppa and Small Foot are expanding by taking over smaller centres that can no longer afford rising wage and administrative costs.
“The market is consolidating,” says Alexandra Hochuli, co-director of Kimi Krippen AG, part of the ZFV group. According to industry representatives, there could be a loss of quality if profit becomes more important than pedagogy. Uncertainty is increasing for parents: daycare centres are closing or changing providers, while fees remain high. Zurich is just the beginning – fierce competition is likely to soon be felt across the country.
Translated from German using DeepL/amva
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