Swiss Parents Could Get 18 Weeks Each of Parental Leave

New popular initiative launches calling for 36 weeks total parental leave, marking significant potential shift in Swiss family policy.

A new popular initiative proposes a total of 36 weeks of parental leave, split equally as 18 weeks per parent.
The initiative is titled 'A strong society and economy through parental leave'.
The proposed leave is non-transferable and must be taken in alternating blocks.
The committee has until October 1, 2026, to gather the necessary signatures.

36 weeks

Total proposed parental leave

2,500

Full-time workers added annually

20 years

Estimated payback period

100,000

Signatures required

"A strong society and economy through parental leave"
— Initiative Title

"A system of separate non-transferable pots of child care is coercive and discriminatory"
— Critics

Shattering the Status Quo: A Radical Policy Shift