Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
It is becoming increasingly expensive to rent in Switzerland. While there seems to be broad agreement that this is a pressing social issue, politicians are struggling to find solutions – as today’s parliamentary debate once again showed.
Before turning to the cost of living, we report on an accident in Engelberg, where the cabin of a cable car broke loose and plunged into the valley. One person inside the cable car died.
The cabin of a cable car crashed this morning in the Titlis ski resort in Engelberg, canton Obwalden, reportedly due to strong winds.
The accident occurred on the Engelberg–Stand cable car. The cabin of the “Titlis Xpress” broke loose and overturned several times on the snowy slope. There was only one person on board, who did not survive the fall, police said. They did not provide any information on the victim’s identity.
Following the accident, evacuation of the facility began. Authorities are also investigating why the cable car was operating despite strong winds, with gusts often exceeding 80km/h.
Newspaper Blick was the first to report the incident, citing several eyewitness accounts. The news portal also obtained video footage showing the cabin sliding down the slope into the valley and overturning several times.
The issue of high rents in Switzerland returned to the centre of political debate today, with an extraordinary session of the House of Representatives. The Social Democratic Party called for greater control over rents, but to no avail.
The main motion debated in the House of Representatives proposed a change to rental law that would introduce regular checks on rents to curb their sharp rise. The left-wing Social Democratic Party argued that rents were increasing regardless of vacancy rates and that the trend was driven by speculation. This view was not shared by the parties on the right, in particular the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which instead pointed to immigration and population growth. The motion was rejected by 120 votes to 61.
“Tenancy law has various shortcomings: over the years, we have tried everything – round tables, squares and rectangles – but the problems remain,” said Economics Minister Guy Parmelin, with a hint of irony. He added that the causes of the housing shortage and rising rents were complex.
The Swiss Tenants’ Association criticised parliament for giving in to “landlord lobbying”. According to the association, each household pays on average CHF360 ($456) more than it should. “That is CHF10 billion transferred from tenants to landlords every year.”
The conflict in the Middle East, with the disruptions to oil and gas transport through the Strait of Hormuz, does not currently threaten Switzerland’s energy supply. It remains stable, according to the Energy Supply Steering Committee, which brings together politicians, industry representatives and cantonal and municipal authorities.
This stability is due to the fact that Switzerland sources most of its fossil fuels from outside the Middle East. Crude oil is mainly imported from the United States and Nigeria. Gas comes via the European Union, which itself relies largely on supplies from the US, Norway, Algeria and Russia.
In the current situation, the Swiss government says it has no legal basis to intervene in the market. “In the event of a serious shortage that has already occurred or is imminent, the measures already in place will be activated, such as access to compulsory stocks,” a statement said.
However, even if supply remains secure – with petrol and diesel reserves sufficient for around four-and-a-half months – Switzerland is still likely to feel the impact of higher prices due to tensions in the region.
Oil products account for nearly half of Switzerland’s energy needs (46% in 2024), particularly for transport, heating and industry. Natural gas covers around 12% of demand and is mainly used for heating and cooking.
The smuggling of cigarettes is intensifying in Switzerland, as is the smuggling of narcotics, according to the 2025 annual review published by the Federal Customs and Border Security Office (FOCBS).
Last year border guards seized around 1.6 million smuggled cigarettes, significantly more than in 2024 (950,000) and almost double the number in 2023.
Around 1.3 million cigarettes entered Switzerland by air. Two-thirds were confiscated at Geneva airport, suggesting that traffickers intended to smuggle them onward into France, the FOCBS said.
Narcotics seizures also increased in 2025, particularly for marijuana, with quantities quadrupling from 1,104 kg in 2024 to 4,235 kg. This was largely due to a single seizure of two tonnes of so-called “THC edibles”, ingestible products containing cannabinoids.
Seizures of cocaine and heroin also rose, while those of amphetamines and methamphetamines declined.
Translated using AI/amva/ts
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