Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
The new year brings higher prices; SWISS airline to inaugurate new international flights; and more news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Welcome to 2024!
Switzerland has a new president
Since January 1st, Viola Amherd, 61, is the country's new president, and will remain in this position until December 31st.
Amherd, who has served as Switzerland's first female Defence Minister, hails from canton Valais, which means she is the second consecutive French-speaking president, after Alain Berset, who served in 2023.
READ ALSO: Meet Viola Amherd, Switzerland's new president
Swiss consumers face higher costs of living in 2024
Staring today, life in Switzerland will become even more expensive
Households and individuals will have to pay more for the obligatory health insurance, electricity, rent, and brand-name medicines.
Last but not least, expect price hikes on all products which are subject to Value-Added Tax (VAT), because from January 1st, it went up from 7.7 to 8.1 percent.
That’s because this tax on consumption is a key source of revenue for the state, as it is used to finance the old-pension (AHV / AVS) scheme.
It is important to anyone working and planning to retire in Switzerland, as without a new influx of funds, the Swiss pension system could plunge into the red within a few years, because baby boomers are reaching retirement age and life expectancy is rising.
READ ALSO: How much more expensive will life be in your Swiss region in 2024?
SWISS airline to add new European destinations this summer
As the new year kicked it, Switzerland’s national carrier announced that, starting with the summer schedule, it would expand its short-haul route network.
From Zurich, it will fly to Bremen in Germany, and from Geneva, to the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
In summer 2024, SWISS will broaden its short-haul options. From Zurich, SWISS will serve Bremen in summer, too. From Geneva, SWISS will open the destination Oslo, and provide new summer services to Copenhagen and Stockholm. For more info: https://t.co/8kQFOmoJQt pic.twitter.com/kMQjOOkVD7
— LX_Newsroom (@LX_Newsroom) December 28, 2023
This will be in addition to the previously announced flights to Kosice in Slovakia and the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, as well as long-haul ones to USA and Canada.
READ ALSO: Airline SWISS to open new routes to North American and European destinations
Youths in Switzerland are losing these 'old' skills
In years past, children used to learn reading the clock face early in life. But as analogue clocks and watches have been disappearing from everyday life, many kids can only read time digitally.
“We don’t see that many analogue dials anymore, except maybe the church or train station clock, ” teacher Diana Stadelmann told the Swiss media. “So there are fewer ‘practice opportunities’.”
She and other teachers also report another worrying trend: many teens don’t know the sequence of months.
"I recently spoke to a 17-year-old who didn't know that September is the ninth month of the year,” Stadelmann added. “That really shocked me.”
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
Welcome to 2024!
Switzerland has a new president
Since January 1st, Viola Amherd, 61, is the country's new president, and will remain in this position until December 31st.
Amherd, who has served as Switzerland's first female Defence Minister, hails from canton Valais, which means she is the second consecutive French-speaking president, after Alain Berset, who served in 2023.
READ ALSO: Meet Viola Amherd, Switzerland's new president
Swiss consumers face higher costs of living in 2024
Staring today, life in Switzerland will become even more expensive
Households and individuals will have to pay more for the obligatory health insurance, electricity, rent, and brand-name medicines.
Last but not least, expect price hikes on all products which are subject to Value-Added Tax (VAT), because from January 1st, it went up from 7.7 to 8.1 percent.
That’s because this tax on consumption is a key source of revenue for the state, as it is used to finance the old-pension (AHV / AVS) scheme.
It is important to anyone working and planning to retire in Switzerland, as without a new influx of funds, the Swiss pension system could plunge into the red within a few years, because baby boomers are reaching retirement age and life expectancy is rising.
READ ALSO: How much more expensive will life be in your Swiss region in 2024?
SWISS airline to add new European destinations this summer
As the new year kicked it, Switzerland’s national carrier announced that, starting with the summer schedule, it would expand its short-haul route network.
From Zurich, it will fly to Bremen in Germany, and from Geneva, to the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
In summer 2024, SWISS will broaden its short-haul options. From Zurich, SWISS will serve Bremen in summer, too. From Geneva, SWISS will open the destination Oslo, and provide new summer services to Copenhagen and Stockholm. For more info: https://t.co/8kQFOmoJQt pic.twitter.com/kMQjOOkVD7
— LX_Newsroom (@LX_Newsroom) December 28, 2023
This will be in addition to the previously announced flights to Kosice in Slovakia and the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, as well as long-haul ones to USA and Canada.
READ ALSO: Airline SWISS to open new routes to North American and European destinations
Youths in Switzerland are losing these 'old' skills
In years past, children used to learn reading the clock face early in life. But as analogue clocks and watches have been disappearing from everyday life, many kids can only read time digitally.
“We don’t see that many analogue dials anymore, except maybe the church or train station clock, ” teacher Diana Stadelmann told the Swiss media. “So there are fewer ‘practice opportunities’.”
She and other teachers also report another worrying trend: many teens don’t know the sequence of months.
"I recently spoke to a 17-year-old who didn't know that September is the ninth month of the year,” Stadelmann added. “That really shocked me.”
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.