A proposed CHF 15bn boost to the defence budget is not likely to get through the Council of States.
Centre-left parties want the extra money for the army and Ukraine. The idea is CHF 10bn will be spent on the army over the next 5 years and CHF 5bn to help Ukraine.
But the upper house’s finance committee has rejected the package, saying it will increase the country’s debt and lead to cuts elsewhere.
More plastic pollution in Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva is up to 656 times more polluted by microplastics than previously thought, according to a new University of Lausanne and EPFL study
Popular summer season for swimming
Swimming pools across French-speaking Switzerland have recorded unprecedented visitor numbers this summer, driven by four separate heatwaves
More vote funding for end of this month
Nearly CHF 8 million has been declared for the two federal votes on 27 September, with the neutrality initiative alone drawing CHF 5.5 million
Gender pay gap still significant
Switzerland's gender pay gap has narrowed slightly, but the unexplained portion still amounts to around CHF 640.- per month for women
Electric scooter ban
Starbucks has banned electric scooters from all its Swiss branches, and Coop and Migros have followed suit
Latest on weekend rave shooting
Swiss police have escalated the Aarau shooting to an international manhunt, with Fedpol launching arrest warrants through national and international systems
