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Swiss cantons in uproar over planned federal budget cuts

Cantons unhappy with Federal Council's cost-cutting measures
Cantons unhappy with Federal Council's cost-cutting measures Keystone-SDA

Swiss cantons have objected to government plans to shave billions of francs from annual federal spending.

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The Confederation’s proposed 2027 budget reduction programme is extremely unsatisfactory, cantons have complained.

They are primarily critical of the Federal Council’s decision not to involve them in the preparatory work.

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The government’s proposals also diverge from objectives defined by the Confederation and the cantons, jeopardise Switzerland’s capacity for innovation, shift costs to the cantons and call into question recent popular decisions, the Conference of Cantonal Governments said in a press release on Friday.

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In addition, these measures contain regulations that leave the cantons no financial room for manoeuvre. They also undermine the national financial equalisation mechanism.

The savings measures proposed by the Federal Council aim to reduce federal finances by CHF 2.7 billion in 2027 and CHF 3.6 billion in 2028.

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