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 Swiss voters will go to the polls on September 27th to decide whether the hard-right’s bid to strengthen their country’s neutrality should be approved. Now Russia has an opinion too. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260806/why-is-russia-in-favour-of-maintaining-swiss-neutrality Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:41:28 +0200 why-is-russia-in-favour-of-maintaining-swiss-neutrality Lawmakers in France are scheduled to vote on Tuesday to ban social media for under-15s -- one of 20 countries worldwide to have proposed or introduced such measures, with many of them in Europe. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260713/eu-to-limit-childrens-access-to-social-media Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:02:47 +0200 eu-to-limit-childrens-access-to-social-media The new package of agreements between Bern and Brussels will “cause crime to explode in Switzerland,” populists say. But is this true? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260720/swiss-hard-right-claims-eu-treaties-represent-free-rein-for-thieves-and-other-criminals Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:50:58 +0200 swiss-hard-right-claims-eu-treaties-represent-free-rein-for-thieves-and-other-criminals To gather support for its bid to strengthen Switzerland’s neutrality, which will be voted on in a referendum on September 27th, the Zurich section of the populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is relying on traditional costumes from... abroad. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260716/swiss-hard-right-promotes-neutrality-with-german-costumes Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:46:35 +0200 swiss-hard-right-promotes-neutrality-with-german-costumes After France adopted a bill to allow assisted dying on Wednesday, here's a look at which European countries already authorise the terminally ill to end their lives. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260716/compare-which-european-countries-allow-assisted-dying Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:25:07 +0200 compare-which-european-countries-allow-assisted-dying As two non-EU countries with close ties to the bloc, Bern and London have bolstered relations in a new and wide-ranging agreement. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260715/what-to-know-about-switzerlands-new-trade-deal-with-the-uk Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:00:31 +0200 what-to-know-about-switzerlands-new-trade-deal-with-the-uk Switzerland and Britain have concluded negotiations on an upgraded free trade agreement, Bern said Monday, saying the deal would boost legal certainty for businesses in both countries. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260713/switzerland-and-uk-conclude-modernised-free-trade-deal-talks Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:27:17 +0200 switzerland-and-uk-conclude-modernised-free-trade-deal-talks President Guy Parmelin flew to Washington this week to work out a better trade deal for Swiss exports, but he came back empty-handed, having made one-sided concessions to the United States instead. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260702/swiss-president-under-fire-for-making-concessions-to-the-us Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:56:26 +0200 swiss-president-under-fire-for-making-concessions-to-the-us In the fourth, and last, round of national referendums in 2026, Swiss voters will have their say on four issues when they go to the polls in November. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260702/taxes-pensions-the-issues-swiss-citizens-will-vote-on-in-november Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:53:17 +0200 taxes-pensions-the-issues-swiss-citizens-will-vote-on-in-november Switzerland is negotiating with France, Israel and South Korea to acquire a long-range air defence system, amid lengthy delivery delays of US Patriot missiles. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260625/switzerland-in-talks-with-several-countries-for-air-defence-system Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:07:14 +0200 switzerland-in-talks-with-several-countries-for-air-defence-system Though the far-right move to curb immigration from the EU was defeated at the ballot box and no longer dominates Swiss news, other measures targeting foreign residents are fuelling political debates. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260625/the-big-issues-for-foreign-residents-on-the-swiss-political-agenda-this-june Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:17:50 +0200 the-big-issues-for-foreign-residents-on-the-swiss-political-agenda-this-june Diplomats from several countries were meeting Saturday at a Swiss retreat in a bid to maintain dialogue on the preliminary US-Iran deal to halt the Middle East war, said Bern. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260620/diplomats-hold-us-iran-preparatory-discussions-at-swiss-retreat Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:50:36 +0200 diplomats-hold-us-iran-preparatory-discussions-at-swiss-retreat A decade after the Brexit referendum, the UK is experiencing a form of "divorce regret" with surveys showing most Britons now believe leaving the European Union was a mistake. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260620/would-the-eu-take-britain-back Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:07:06 +0200 would-the-eu-take-britain-back The hard-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) suffered a major setback on June 14th, when its bid to stop population growth by limiting immigration was rejected at the ballot box. But the party already has other initiatives lined up. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260616/border-protection-neutrality-what-the-swiss-peoples-party-is-planning-next Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:00:25 +0200 border-protection-neutrality-what-the-swiss-peoples-party-is-planning-next Switzerland's parliament on Thursday approved a divisive government plan to build new nuclear power stations, overturning a 2018 ban and putting the country on course for a referendum. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260619/swiss-heading-towards-referendum-on-new-nuclear-plants Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:59:03 +0200 swiss-heading-towards-referendum-on-new-nuclear-plants In a recent EU Council meeting, Member States called for the EU-Switzerland relationship to be updated to face modern threats and challenges, arguing the current framework risks "economic and political instability" in a changing world. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260617/switzerlands-relationship-with-eu-needs-an-overhaul-says-european-council Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:28:01 +0200 switzerlands-relationship-with-eu-needs-an-overhaul-says-european-council The uber-plush Burgenstock resort perched high above Switzerland's Lake Lucerne provides the dramatic setting for Friday's planned signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding to end nearly four months of war. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260617/swiss-us-iran-deal-venue-a-playground-of-world-leaders-movie-stars Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:01:03 +0200 swiss-us-iran-deal-venue-a-playground-of-world-leaders-movie-stars From minimum wages to taxes Swiss voters also cast their ballots on a number of cantonal issues on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260615/roundup-the-results-of-the-key-swiss-cantonal-referendums-this-june Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:40:07 +0200 roundup-the-results-of-the-key-swiss-cantonal-referendums-this-june Swiss authorities and economic players breathed a sigh of relief Sunday after voters narrowly rejected a divisive anti-immigration proposal to cap the country's population, which had sparked warnings of "chaos". https://www.thelocal.ch/20260614/breaking-no-to-10-million-vote-set-for-nail-biting-finish Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:23:06 +0200 breaking-no-to-10-million-vote-set-for-nail-biting-finish Protesters in Geneva threw stones and firecrackers at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons during a demonstration Sunday against the G7 summit in nearby Evian. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260614/thousands-protest-in-geneva-ahead-of-g7-summit-in-france Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:55:38 +0200 thousands-protest-in-geneva-ahead-of-g7-summit-in-france