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 Geneva residents have voted for a 24-week paid leave package for new parents — the first Swiss canton to do so. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230620/historic-step-what-to-know-about-genevas-plan-to-extend-parental-leave Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:25:31 +0200 historic-step-what-to-know-about-genevas-plan-to-extend-parental-leave The Swiss on Sunday backed a new minimum tax rate of 15 percent to be imposed on big international firms. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230619/swiss-back-new-tax-law-for-big-international-firms Mon, 19 Jun 2023 11:12:36 +0200 swiss-back-new-tax-law-for-big-international-firms A unique feature of the Swiss system of direct democracy is the ability of any citizen, or a group of citizens, to impact the political process by creating new laws or changing the existing ones. Here's how. https://www.thelocal.ch/20230120/how-ordinary-citizens-can-try-to-change-the-law-in-switzerland Fri, 20 Jan 2023 14:34:25 +0100 how-ordinary-citizens-can-try-to-change-the-law-in-switzerland A Swiss alliance seeking to block the purchase of F-35A fighter jets handed over enough signatures to the authorities on Tuesday to force a popular vote on the issue. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220816/swiss-head-towards-popular-vote-on-us-fighter-jets-purchase Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:37:05 +0200 swiss-head-towards-popular-vote-on-us-fighter-jets-purchase Voters in the Swiss canton of Zurich on May 15th approved a proposal to simplify naturalisation requirements for the canton's 350,000 foreigners. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220510/explained-how-zurich-wants-to-make-nationalisation-easier Tue, 10 May 2022 13:52:20 +0200 explained-how-zurich-wants-to-make-nationalisation-easier The first same-sex couples tied the knot in Switzerland on Friday following a referendum that changed the landscape for gay rights in the country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220701/first-same-sex-couples-get-married-in-switzerland Fri, 01 Jul 2022 16:39:11 +0200 first-same-sex-couples-get-married-in-switzerland While apartment-hunting with his partner 30 years ago, Thierry Delessert was repeatedly asked whether they were cousins, or gay. He knew the latter answer would automatically see their application thrown out. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210923/deviance-and-morality-the-history-of-the-same-sex-marriage-movement-in-switzerland Thu, 23 Sep 2021 12:42:42 +0200 deviance-and-morality-the-history-of-the-same-sex-marriage-movement-in-switzerland Voters in Switzerland’s most populous canton on Sunday approved a proposal which will make it easier for foreigners to get Swiss citizenship. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220516/zurich-approves-simplified-path-to-swiss-citizenship Mon, 16 May 2022 15:28:25 +0200 zurich-approves-simplified-path-to-swiss-citizenship Swiss voters have accepted all three legislative proposals put forth by the Federal Council — the organ donation, Lex Netflix and Frontex. This is what Switzerland decided along with what supporters and opponents say about the results. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220516/reaction-how-switzerland-responded-to-sundays-referendum-results Mon, 16 May 2022 13:27:29 +0200 reaction-how-switzerland-responded-to-sundays-referendum-results On May 15th, voters will decide on three issues. Rejection of one of them, the so-called Frontex, could have consequences on travel to and from Switzerland. This is how. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220429/frontex-how-switzerlands-border-vote-on-may-15th-could-impact-travel Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:55:06 +0200 frontex-how-switzerlands-border-vote-on-may-15th-could-impact-travel On May 15th, Swiss voters will decide, along with two other issues, on whether to approve the government’s plan of “presumed consent” in organ transplants. This is what you should know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220505/explained-what-switzerlands-organ-donation-vote-means-for-you Thu, 05 May 2022 15:40:35 +0200 explained-what-switzerlands-organ-donation-vote-means-for-you The result of Switzerland's 'Netflix referendum' could see streaming costs increase, alongside significant programming changes. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220503/what-is-the-netflix-vote-and-how-could-it-change-tv-in-switzerland Tue, 03 May 2022 12:59:34 +0200 what-is-the-netflix-vote-and-how-could-it-change-tv-in-switzerland On Sunday, May 15th, Zurich voters will head to the polls to vote on making naturalisation easier for the estimated 350,000 foreigners who live there, along with three other canton-specific questions. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220512/zurich-to-vote-on-improving-naturalisation-requirements Thu, 12 May 2022 11:58:42 +0200 zurich-to-vote-on-improving-naturalisation-requirements When it comes to internationally renowned cinema, Switzerland may not be the first country that immediately springs to mind, but a law being voted on this Sunday seeks to change that by forcing streaming services to invest in local moviemaking. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220513/lex-netflix-what-switzerlands-streaming-referendum-could-mean-for-you Fri, 13 May 2022 12:18:13 +0200 lex-netflix-what-switzerlands-streaming-referendum-could-mean-for-you The Swiss vote Sunday on whether to boost their participation in the European border agency Frontex, amid fears a "no" could ultimately push Switzerland out of the Schengen open-borders area. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220512/schengen-travel-and-migration-what-would-leaving-frontex-mean-for-switzerland Thu, 12 May 2022 12:46:56 +0200 schengen-travel-and-migration-what-would-leaving-frontex-mean-for-switzerland As women’s reproductive rights are on the verge of being drastically eroded in the United States, Switzerland is witnessing the launch of two parallel popular initiatives seeking to restrict access to abortion here, writes Clare O'Dea. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220511/opinion-anti-abortion-activists-in-switzerland-are-posturing-with-latest-hollow-move Wed, 11 May 2022 13:29:53 +0200 opinion-anti-abortion-activists-in-switzerland-are-posturing-with-latest-hollow-move Voters in Zurich will go to the polls to vote on a proposal to lower the voting age to 16 throughout the canton. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220502/referendum-zurich-to-vote-on-lower-voting-age Mon, 02 May 2022 15:34:07 +0200 referendum-zurich-to-vote-on-lower-voting-age Military service is mandatory only for men in Switzerland, but a new movement may change all that. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220428/will-switzerland-introduce-obligatory-military-service-for-women Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:31:46 +0200 will-switzerland-introduce-obligatory-military-service-for-women Swiss voters will weigh in on three issues on May 15th. Here’s what is at stake, and how the results could affect you. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220411/explained-whats-at-stake-in-switzerlands-may-referendums Mon, 11 Apr 2022 13:33:36 +0200 explained-whats-at-stake-in-switzerlands-may-referendums Swiss politician Christoph Blocher, known as the father of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, has called for a referendum to preserve Switzerland’s neutrality. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220311/a-weapon-of-war-swiss-politician-calls-for-neutrality-referendum Fri, 11 Mar 2022 18:14:51 +0100 a-weapon-of-war-swiss-politician-calls-for-neutrality-referendum