Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Does the country you live in generate electricity from nuclear power? Switzerland decided to phase out nuclear energy in 2017, but the construction of new nuclear power plants could once again become possible.
Nuclear energy is back in favour. While the House of Representatives debates the future of new nuclear power plants, a recent survey shows growing public support.
Energy security has become a major issue in Switzerland. Conflicts and wars around the world have highlighted dependencies on foreign resources, while the desire for a self-sufficient energy supply remains strong. This afternoon, parliament will debate the “Blackout Initiative” and the Swiss government’s counterproposal. As Swiss public broadcaster SRF notes, the House of Representatives could make a historic decision.
The key issue is nuclear energy. The Swiss government’s counterproposal would once again allow the construction of new nuclear power plants in Switzerland. The initiative, backed by centre-right parties, seeks to anchor energy security in the constitution and pave the way for new nuclear facilities.
Public opinion appears to be shifting as well. A recent survey found that 59% of respondents consider the construction of new nuclear power plants to be sensible. If parliament votes in favour of re-opening the door to nuclear energy, it would mark a significant change in direction: Swiss voters endorsed the country’s nuclear phase-out strategy in 2017.
A legal seal is blocking access to mobile phone data following the knife attack in Winterthur. Switzerland’s Attorney General is now calling for faster access to seized devices.
At the end of May, a man injured three people in a knife attack in Winterthur that authorities classified as an act of terrorism. Yet investigators are currently unable to examine the suspect’s mobile phone and laptop, a process that could remain blocked for months or even years.
“Our hands are tied,” Attorney General Stefan Blättler told the NZZ am Sonntag. The suspect has invoked a legal mechanism known as a seal, which prevents authorities from immediately searching confiscated devices. The measure was designed in an analogue era, Blättler explained, to protect privileged or highly personal information from being used in criminal proceedings.
“In the past, investigators might have had to examine a few hundred files. Today, digital devices can contain enormous quantities of data,” he said.
The Office of the Attorney General has applied to have the devices unsealed. Blättler is now calling for the procedure to be reversed: investigators should be allowed to review seized data immediately, while protected information such as lawyer-client correspondence would remain safeguarded. In cases involving threats to public safety, he argues, exceptions should apply.
Switzerland’s labour market has cooled. Only a limited number of full-time jobs have been created recently.
The Swiss labour market is losing momentum. Between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, only 13,850 net new full-time positions were created – the lowest figure in five years. The sharpest decline occurred in Zurich, where around 6,100 jobs disappeared, according to CH Media newspapers.
One major factor is the ongoing restructuring at UBS following its takeover of Credit Suisse. Other sectors are also under pressure. According to the report, US tariffs are weighing on export-oriented industries in Ticino and the Swiss Plateau. The information and communications sector, as well as finance and insurance, are also reducing staff numbers.
Overall, however, employment in Switzerland continues to grow. Healthcare, public administration and education have all added jobs in recent months. The labour market is still expanding – just no longer everywhere, and no longer automatically.
From Einstein to Casanova: what old telephone directories reveal about Switzerland.
Do you remember heavy telephone directories? The last printed edition in Switzerland appeared in 2022. Today, they survive only in archives. Swiss public broadcaster SRF recently explored historical directories preserved in the archives of the former postal and telecommunications service and uncovered some intriguing details.
The 1930 edition, for example, contains the address and telephone number of Albert Einstein, who was living in Zurich at the time. Occupations were often listed alongside names. In 1909, Ilse Hohl became the first woman to appear in a Swiss telephone directory with the profession “journalist”.
The directories also document immigration patterns. According to SRF, names such as Camponovo, Casanova and Castelli appeared in Winterthur’s telephone directory in 1969, likely reflecting the presence of Italian guest workers. Many other surnames of foreign origin were presumably listed as well.
The rise of fitness culture is another social trend reflected in the archives. The Bern directory of 1981 contained just two entries under “fitness centre”. Fifteen years later, there were many more. And one could argue that even the term itself has become outdated: today, anyone looking for a fitness centre might be more likely to search under “G” for gym.
Translated using AI/amva/ts
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