Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Controversy over Switzerland's main language; a fifth of the population mentally and financially 'deprived; and other news in our Wednesday roundup.
Swiss German can’t be used in parliamentary debates, MPs say
Discussions in both chambers of the parliamentary are routinely conducted in (high) German, French, Italian, or Romansh, but deliberations in Swiss German are strictly verboten.
This is the decision that majority of National Council deputies approved on Tuesday, throwing out a motion by one MP seeking to allow parliamentary debates also in Swiss German.
The Federal Council also opposed the motion, pointing out that — unlike the cantonal parliaments, where only one local dialect is spoken — on national level debates in Swiss German would complicate the work of parliamentary interpreters and would make it difficult to publish the speeches of elected officials in writing.
READ ALSO: Is it better to learn Hochdeutsch or Swiss German?
A fifth of Switzerland's population suffers from ‘material and social deprivation’
About 18.9 percent of Switzerland’s residents cannot afford an unexpected expense of 2,500 francs, new data released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Tuesday indicates.
"The material and social deprivation rate describes the proportion of people who have to forego important goods, services and social activities for financial reasons,” according to FSO.
However, “the overall standard of living in Switzerland still remains one of the highest in Europe," the study found, pointing out that Switzerland’s deprivation rate is significantly below the European average.
READ ALSO: Is Switzerland expensive for the Swiss - or just for tourists?
Large companies have fewer job vacancies
The number of employment opportunities at biggest Swiss companies fell by 1.6 percent in April in comparison to the previous month, according to job portal Indeed.
For instance, there are fewer vacancies at Coop, Migros, Swisscom, Roche, as well as Swiss Federal Railways — all of which are among Switzerland’s largest employers.
However, despite the slight decline in vacancies, the shortage of skilled workers remains a major issue, with three out of four companies reporting recruitment difficulties.
Swiss consumer sentiment remains low
Since the end of the Covid pandemic, the consumer confidence in Switzerland has remained at a relatively low level, a survey released on Tuesday by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) reveals.
After peaking in 2021, consumer confidence plunged again last year and is still “struggling” to come up.
Labour market sentiment, on the other hand, remains positive, mostly due to low unemployment rate.
Consumer sentiment is defined as an economic indicator that measures how optimistic consumers are about their finances and the state of the economy.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Swiss German can’t be used in parliamentary debates, MPs say
Discussions in both chambers of the parliamentary are routinely conducted in (high) German, French, Italian, or Romansh, but deliberations in Swiss German are strictly verboten.
This is the decision that majority of National Council deputies approved on Tuesday, throwing out a motion by one MP seeking to allow parliamentary debates also in Swiss German.
The Federal Council also opposed the motion, pointing out that — unlike the cantonal parliaments, where only one local dialect is spoken — on national level debates in Swiss German would complicate the work of parliamentary interpreters and would make it difficult to publish the speeches of elected officials in writing.
READ ALSO: Is it better to learn Hochdeutsch or Swiss German?
A fifth of Switzerland's population suffers from ‘material and social deprivation’
About 18.9 percent of Switzerland’s residents cannot afford an unexpected expense of 2,500 francs, new data released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Tuesday indicates.
"The material and social deprivation rate describes the proportion of people who have to forego important goods, services and social activities for financial reasons,” according to FSO.
However, “the overall standard of living in Switzerland still remains one of the highest in Europe," the study found, pointing out that Switzerland’s deprivation rate is significantly below the European average.
READ ALSO: Is Switzerland expensive for the Swiss - or just for tourists?
Large companies have fewer job vacancies
The number of employment opportunities at biggest Swiss companies fell by 1.6 percent in April in comparison to the previous month, according to job portal Indeed.
For instance, there are fewer vacancies at Coop, Migros, Swisscom, Roche, as well as Swiss Federal Railways — all of which are among Switzerland’s largest employers.
However, despite the slight decline in vacancies, the shortage of skilled workers remains a major issue, with three out of four companies reporting recruitment difficulties.
Swiss consumer sentiment remains low
Since the end of the Covid pandemic, the consumer confidence in Switzerland has remained at a relatively low level, a survey released on Tuesday by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) reveals.
After peaking in 2021, consumer confidence plunged again last year and is still “struggling” to come up.
Labour market sentiment, on the other hand, remains positive, mostly due to low unemployment rate.
Consumer sentiment is defined as an economic indicator that measures how optimistic consumers are about their finances and the state of the economy.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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