Housing Crisis Deepens: Swiss Pension Funds Under Fire for Real Estate Role

Thousands protest in Zurich as pension funds' dominant position in the rental market faces criticism amid affordable housing shortage.

Swiss pension funds own approximately 44% of rental apartments nationwide
Thousands of protesters demonstrated in Zurich against pension funds' role in housing market
Pension funds are legally mandated to generate returns on investments

44%

Percentage of rental apartments owned by pension funds

"That doesn't mean they should be charging sky-high rents"
— Unnamed protester

"There is no more socially valuable use of real estate returns than to fund retirements"
— Lukas Müller Brunner, Swiss Pension Fund Association

Rising Tensions in Swiss Housing Market

Swiss pension funds own approximately 44% of rental apartments nationwide
Thousands of protesters demonstrated in Zurich against pension funds' role in housing market
Pension funds are legally mandated to generate returns on investments

44%

Percentage of rental apartments owned by pension funds

"That doesn't mean they should be charging sky-high rents"
— Unnamed protester

"There is no more socially valuable use of real estate returns than to fund retirements"
— Lukas Müller Brunner, Swiss Pension Fund Association