The Local Switzerland https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed No parental leave for Swiss military fathers While new fathers across Switzerland can look forward to benefit from the new paternal leave allowances the government is set to introduce, men completing their compulsory military service will have no such luck. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191004/no-parental-leave-for-swiss-military-fathers Fri, 04 Oct 2019 13:48:09 +0200 no-parental-leave-for-swiss-military-fathers 333 Swiss declared 'too dangerous' for military service Switzerland's Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) revealed on Monday that 333 people were prevented from enlisting in the military in 2015 because they had been judged as 'dangerous'. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160301/333-swiss-too-dangerous-for-military-service Tue, 01 Mar 2016 15:45:34 +0100 333-swiss-too-dangerous-for-military-service Vegan recruit declared unfit for Swiss army A 19-year-old vegan man has been declared unfit for Swiss military service because he refuses to wear leather combat boots. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160126/vegan-recruit-declared-unfit-for-swiss-army-service Tue, 26 Jan 2016 11:33:16 +0100 vegan-recruit-declared-unfit-for-swiss-army-service More than 1,000 recruits deemed 'too risky' The Swiss Army rejected 1,038 young Swiss conscripts last year, considering them too dangerous for military service. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140224/more-than-1000-recruits-deemed-too-risky-for-military Mon, 24 Feb 2014 09:38:00 +0100 more-than-1000-recruits-deemed-too-risky-for-military Majority of Swiss oppose ending conscription Switzerland's voters on Sunday rejected a plan to axe the country's military draft, bucking Europe's anti-conscription trend and sticking to a tradition as Swiss as chocolate and cheese. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130922/swiss-voters-back-conscription-by-wide-margin Sun, 22 Sep 2013 21:17:00 +0200 swiss-voters-back-conscription-by-wide-margin Euro countries with conscription a minority Obligatory military service has been progressively abolished in most European countries, though Switzerland looks certain to maintain the draft in a referendum on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130919/euro-countries-with-conscription-a-minority Thu, 19 Sep 2013 13:00:00 +0200 euro-countries-with-conscription-a-minority Without conscription 'who will defend Swiss?' Every year, thousands of young Swiss men are called up by the Swiss military to attend boot camp, leaving behind their studies or jobs to spend a few months learning how to defend their country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130916/without-conscription-who-will-defend-switzerland Mon, 16 Sep 2013 16:05:00 +0200 without-conscription-who-will-defend-switzerland Parliament wants to retain military service Parliament has rejected an initiative by the Switzerland Without an Army pressure group to scrap conscription. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130305/compulsory-military-service-to-be-retained-parliament-decides Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:43:00 +0100 compulsory-military-service-to-be-retained-parliament-decides