Parliament

Politics

Parliament Votes to End Ban on New Nuclear Power Plants in Policy Reversal

In a significant shift in energy policy, the Swiss parliament has approved a measure to lift the ban on the construction of new nuclear power stations. The proposal, aimed at securing long-term energy supply, is championed by Energy Minister Albert Rösti and will now be put to a national vote, with opponents already vowing to launch a referendum.

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Politics

House of Representatives Rejects EFTA-Mercosur Free Trade Deal

The Swiss House of Representatives has narrowly voted against the free trade agreement between the EFTA states and the South American Mercosur bloc. The deal failed to pass after facing opposition from a cross-party coalition of Social Democrats, Greens, and factions of the Swiss People's Party in an emotional debate.

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Politics

Parliament Backs Tougher Immigration Rules on Criminal Records and Deportations

The Swiss parliament is moving to tighten immigration and asylum policies on two fronts. Following the Senate, the House of Representatives has adopted a motion to require criminal record checks for all foreign nationals applying for a residence permit. In a separate move, the Senate is also pushing for the establishment of repatriation centres for rejected asylum seekers outside of Europe, aligning with a recent EU policy shift.

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Parliament

The Swiss Senate has backed a motion calling on the government to open negotiations with Brussels for a formal security and defence agreement, signaling a significant step towards closer military cooperation with the European Union.

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Law

Swiss parliament has passed a major legal reform that will allow over-indebted individuals to declare personal bankruptcy and have their debts wiped clean, aiming to provide a fresh start and break cycles of chronic indebtedness.

Le News

Parliament

The Swiss parliament has made two key decisions reinforcing its international role, approving an increase in soldiers for the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and allocating CHF58.3 million for participation in EU research programmes like Horizon Europe.

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Politics

A key parliamentary committee has supported a proposal requiring future bilateral agreements with the European Union to be approved by a double majority of Swiss voters and cantons. The move, which would anchor the accords in the constitution, signals the high political stakes of upcoming negotiations.

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Politics

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted decisively against a popular initiative aimed at simplifying the naturalisation process and making criteria uniform across the nation, sending the proposal to the Senate.

The Local Switzerland · +1 more

Politics

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted by a two-thirds majority against a popular initiative that aimed to simplify the naturalisation process and centralize criteria at the federal level, sending the proposal to the Senate for further debate.

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Health

The House of Representatives has approved a motion to make emergency contraception available without a mandatory pharmacist counselling session, a move aimed at aligning Switzerland with less restrictive European standards.

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Politics

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted against a proposal to recognize Palestine as a state. The majority argued that the current conditions are not met and that such a move would compromise Switzerland's neutrality and its potential role as a mediator in the conflict.

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Healthcare

Despite a petition with nearly 190,000 signatures demanding better working conditions, the Swiss House of Representatives has voted to scale back key measures in the nursing reform package, rejecting a shorter work week and sparking outrage from healthcare advocates.

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Swiss Politics

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted 116 to 66 against a proposal to recognize the state of Palestine, siding with the government's view that current conditions are not met and that such a move would hinder Switzerland's role as a mediator.

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Human Rights

In a significant move, the House of Representatives has officially recognized the 20th-century practice of removing children from Yenish and Sinti families as a crime against humanity, acknowledging the grave suffering inflicted by state institutions.

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Politics

In a significant policy shift, a parliamentary committee has narrowly voted to endorse a proposal allowing the construction of new nuclear power plants in Switzerland, reigniting a deeply divisive national debate on the country's future energy strategy.

Le News

Politics

Switzerland will introduce a transit tax for vehicles crossing the country without stopping, following parliamentary approval. The measure, aimed at curbing traffic on the congested north-south axis through the Gotthard, will have its fee adjusted based on traffic density and time of day.

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Politics

The Swiss parliament has voted down a direct counter-proposal aimed at defining Swiss neutrality more explicitly in the Constitution. The move clears the way for the original popular initiative, which seeks to enshrine 'perpetual and armed neutrality', to be put to a public vote without a parliamentary alternative.

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Politics

To alleviate pressure on hospitals and curb rising healthcare costs, the House of Representatives has backed a proposal to introduce a CHF50 fee for adults who visit emergency departments without a referral from a doctor or other qualified source.

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EU-Switzerland Relations

The Swiss Federal Council has officially passed its comprehensive treaty package, known as "Bilaterals III," to parliament, marking a critical step in stabilizing and developing future relations with the European Union. The move aims to secure the bilateral approach amidst a tense geopolitical landscape.

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