Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Cross-border commuters are driving rents up in their local French communities; Norwegian 'invasion' continues in Switzerland; and other news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Cross-border commuters from France faced with high rents
Housing is notoriously expensive in Geneva, but its cost is also increasing in the neighbouring French communities.
According to Le Matin daily newspaper, “prohibitive Parisian rents are displayed in the windows of the numerous real estate agencies in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, a small town on the Swiss border,” as well as in other nearby communities where the cross-border workers live.
Paid in Swiss francs and earning wages that are sometimes three times higher than in France, these commuters “push prices of housing upwards,” putting those who work in France and are paid in euros” at a great disadvantage, the newspaper reports.
Wealthy Norwegians continue to ‘flee’ to Switzerland
Of the 75 richest Norwegians who live outside their country, most — 47 — have settled in Switzerland, according to a report in Swiss media on Monday.
The reason Switzerland is a popular destination for these super-rich individuals is that it has much lower taxes than their native country.
Norway's government under Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe increased taxes on the wealthy in 2022, raising the maximum wealth rate from 1.0 percent to 1.1 percent. While this hike may not look like much on paper, it amounts to a lot of money if you have billions.
In Switzerland, Norwegians like to settle in Zug, Lugano (TI), Andermatt (UR), and Hergiswil (NW).
READ ALSO : Why do rich Norwegians flee to Switzerland?
Candidate for Federal Council wants to remain a dual citizen
Jon Pult, an MP who wants to replace Alain Berset on the Federal Council when Berset steps down in December, said that, if elected by his fellow deputies, he will keep his Italian passport.
“I remain a dual citizen [of Switzerland and Italy] and would be 100 percent committed to Switzerland as a Federal Councilor,” he told the media in Bern on Monday.
Pult, who hails from canton Graubünden, describes himself as trilingual.
“I always spoke Italian with my mother and Romansh with my father,” he said, adding that “German is my main working language today.”
While Pult is not the only dual national in the parliament, he would be — if elected — the only one to serve on the Federal Council.
READ ALSO: Why dual citizens in Switzerland are often seen as not 'Swiss' enough
Dengue cases are on the rise in Switzerland
According to the Monday bulletin from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), 154 cases of this viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people, have been registered in Switzerland since the start of the year, compared to 68 for the whole of 2022.
The increase in cases of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases is due to the resumption of travel after two years of Covid restrictions, as all the infections detected in Switzerland were contracted abroad, the FOPH said.
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]
Comments
See Also
Cross-border commuters from France faced with high rents
Housing is notoriously expensive in Geneva, but its cost is also increasing in the neighbouring French communities.
According to Le Matin daily newspaper, “prohibitive Parisian rents are displayed in the windows of the numerous real estate agencies in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, a small town on the Swiss border,” as well as in other nearby communities where the cross-border workers live.
Paid in Swiss francs and earning wages that are sometimes three times higher than in France, these commuters “push prices of housing upwards,” putting those who work in France and are paid in euros” at a great disadvantage, the newspaper reports.
Wealthy Norwegians continue to ‘flee’ to Switzerland
Of the 75 richest Norwegians who live outside their country, most — 47 — have settled in Switzerland, according to a report in Swiss media on Monday.
The reason Switzerland is a popular destination for these super-rich individuals is that it has much lower taxes than their native country.
Norway's government under Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe increased taxes on the wealthy in 2022, raising the maximum wealth rate from 1.0 percent to 1.1 percent. While this hike may not look like much on paper, it amounts to a lot of money if you have billions.
In Switzerland, Norwegians like to settle in Zug, Lugano (TI), Andermatt (UR), and Hergiswil (NW).
READ ALSO : Why do rich Norwegians flee to Switzerland?
Candidate for Federal Council wants to remain a dual citizen
Jon Pult, an MP who wants to replace Alain Berset on the Federal Council when Berset steps down in December, said that, if elected by his fellow deputies, he will keep his Italian passport.
“I remain a dual citizen [of Switzerland and Italy] and would be 100 percent committed to Switzerland as a Federal Councilor,” he told the media in Bern on Monday.
Pult, who hails from canton Graubünden, describes himself as trilingual.
“I always spoke Italian with my mother and Romansh with my father,” he said, adding that “German is my main working language today.”
While Pult is not the only dual national in the parliament, he would be — if elected — the only one to serve on the Federal Council.
READ ALSO: Why dual citizens in Switzerland are often seen as not 'Swiss' enough
Dengue cases are on the rise in Switzerland
According to the Monday bulletin from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), 154 cases of this viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people, have been registered in Switzerland since the start of the year, compared to 68 for the whole of 2022.
The increase in cases of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases is due to the resumption of travel after two years of Covid restrictions, as all the infections detected in Switzerland were contracted abroad, the FOPH said.
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]
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.