September 12, 2025|
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|3 months agoZurich's French Language Education Shift Sparks National Debate
Zurich's decision to eliminate French instruction in primary schools raises concerns about national cohesion and Switzerland's multilingual tradition
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Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
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- The Zurich Cantonal Council has voted to eliminate French language instruction in primary schools.
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden eliminated early French instruction earlier in 2025.
- St Gallen, Thurgau, and the bilingual canton of Bern are discussing proposals to delay French instruction until high school.
- Zurich voters rejected the ratification of the HarmoS agreement in a 2009 referendum.
By The Numbers
3
National Languages
2009
Year of Referendum
They Said
"Abandoning early French would amount to playing with fire."
"You cannot celebrate Switzerlandâs unity on August 1st and then neglect the means of understanding one another."