Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Happy May 1, celebrated worldwide as Labour Day. Public reactions today often reflect the wider economic climate.
And how far would you travel to watch your favourite sports team? A Swiss citizen living in New Zealand travelled over 40 hours to do just that. Read his story below.
Sunny regards from Bern,
Some 50 Labour Day demonstrations are taking place across Switzerland today under the slogan “Defend jobs and wages. No to isolation”. What does the future of Swiss work culture look like?
Zurich, which traditionally hosts the largest Labour Day event, has often been the scene of unrest in the past. Thousands gathered this morning at Helvetiaplatz in central Zurich for the annual May 1 parade, with many young participants, reports the Tages-Anzeiger. The trade union Unia warns that minimum wages and Sundays off are increasingly under pressure.
In an interview with Blick, economist Mathias Binswanger discusses the negative perception of part-time work in Switzerland. As of the second quarter of 2024, 38.7% of employed people in Switzerland worked part-time (defined as less than 90% employment). The model is far more common among women: 58.6% work part-time, compared to 20.9% of men.
Binswanger argues that criticism of part-time workers misses the point: “You can’t expect people to orient their lives primarily around the needs of the economy or the state if there is no incentive to do so.” He suggests strengthening the profile of vocational training, as many sectors are struggling to find successors.
In the aftermath of a major tragedy, those affected often look for accountability. The New Year’s Day fire in Crans-Montana is no exception.
As investigations into the Crans-Montana disaster continue, new allegations have emerged regarding the emergency response. A criminal complaint filed by a lawyer representing a 15-year-old Italian girl who was injured claims that essential equipment such as stretchers, survival blankets, and readily available oxygen cylinders, was lacking. These shortcomings may have worsened the condition of some victims.
The information, first reported by Italian newspaper La Stampa, has been confirmed by the Valais public prosecutor’s office, and has led to strong reactions.
A Swiss lawyer told Blick that the severity of burns may have been underestimated. “Intense heat can cause serious nerve damage without visible signs on the skin,” he said. Some injured individuals were reportedly misdiagnosed, with treatment delayed by up to four hours.
The Swiss Paramedic Association has refused to address the complaint directly but stresses that preparedness and training levels are generally high. At the same time, it describes the Crans-Montana fire as “an exceptional and extreme event on all levels”.
Rising rental costs in Switzerland are beginning to level off, according to new data from real estate consultancy Wüest Partner.
Rents rose significantly from autumn 2022 onwards, with newly advertised apartments becoming 4-5% more expensive year-on-year, compared with around 1% previously. That trend is now slowing. In 2025, asking rents rose by 1.3%, while existing rents increased by just 0.4%. Lower interest rates are also encouraging more people to buy property again.
However, there is still pressure on the housing market. A shortage of new housing continues to drive demand. Net housing growth is not keeping pace with population growth, reports Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). Switzerland’s population increased by around 73,300 people in 2025, corresponding to a need for around 33,600 additional apartments.
The situation is particularly acute in Zurich, where the vacancy rate stands at just 0.48%, and in the city itself at 0.1%. In tight markets, the gap between new and existing rents is widening. In Geneva, new tenants pay on average 50% more than existing tenants; in Zurich, the difference is around 20%. Moving house often means significantly higher costs.
According to OECD data, tenant households in Switzerland spend an average of 24.6% of their disposable income on rent, putting the country above the EU average and ranked seventh overall. Finland tops the list at 30.6%.
How far would you travel to watch your favourite Swiss sports team. A Swiss citizen living in New Zealand travelled over 40 hours to watch yesterday’s ice hockey final between Fribourg-Gottéron and Davos.
Fabian Herzog booked his flights on the spur of the moment after Fribourg’s overtime victory in game six of the playoff final, and was at Auckland Airport just three hours later. His children waved him off with an “Allez Gottéron [Go Gottéron]!”, reports Blick. After hearing about his journey, the newspaper even helped secure him a ticket for the final game in Fribourg.
Lucky for him, as he is a big Gottéron fan. On Thursday his team defeated Davos 3-2 in extra time in a historic victory – the club’s first Swiss championship title.
The city of Fribourg erupted in celebration after the win. More than a sporting event, the final became a collective moment, drawing tens of thousands of fans. The ice rink was sold out, and around 30,000 people gathered outside to watch the match on big screens.
The authorities had laid on additional public transport which was free overnight, and bars were allowed to stay open longer. Extra police were also deployed to manage the large crowds of supporters who celebrated mostly peacefully.
After the victory, thousands of fans stayed into the early hours to welcome the players – a rare moment of shared joy between team, city and supporters. For Fabian Herzog, the long journey was well worth it.
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