Swiss back raising retirement age for women, tax-hike
A clear majority of Swiss are in favour of raising the retirement age of women from 64 to 65, as well as a tax-hike to make pension reform possible, according to a poll published Sunday.
The survey found that two-thirds of respondents are “in favour” or “fairly in favour” of a higher retirement age for women, as the Swiss government has recently proposed.
SonntagsBlickExternal link, which published the findings, noted the Federal Council’s pension reform plans, which would be funded through a tax increase, are viewed more favorably by Swiss citizens than political parties.
Men clearly support the measure to raise the retirement age for women (78%), according to the survey. Women were more evenly split, with only 54% expressing a favourable view on the issue.
Almost two-thirds of the respondents appeared willing to accept a 1.9 increase in valued-added tax (VAT) to fund pension reform, with 23% saying they were “in favour”, and 41% others leaning in that direction.
A fifth of respondents said they were outright “against” a tax adjustment, while another 13% fell in the ” fairly opposed” camp.
The representative survey was carried out by the GfS Bern instituteExternal link between May 25 and June 11, drawing no the feedback of 1336 citizens with voting rights from across Switzerland.
The findings suggest a shift in perspective among the Swiss population. An increase in the retirement age for women was considered one of the main reasons for the rejection of the September 2017 pension reform plan for 2020 put forward by Federal Councillor Alain Berset.
In March, the government presented the outlines of a new state pension reform plan, including raising VAT by 1.7% to fund it, and raising the retirement age for women to 65.
More
More
Majority of Swiss opt for early retirement, says survey
This content was published on
Six people out of ten (58%) stop working before the official retirement age in Switzerland, reports the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.
Media: Swiss medical services done abroad are billed at Swiss rates
This content was published on
In Switzerland, some medical services carried out abroad are still billed at Swiss rates, despite costing less, RTS reports.
This content was published on
Sophie Hediger, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, has died in an avalanche in Arosa. She was 26 years old.
This content was published on
Several Swiss films exceeded the 100,000 admissions mark worldwide in 2024 and received widespread praise at international film festivals.
Swiss Alpine resorts covered in white gold for Christmas
This content was published on
Many areas at low altitudes in Switzerland are enjoying a blanket of snow. In the mountains, intense precipitation has delighted skiers.
SWISS makes emergency landing in Austria after smoke in cockpit
This content was published on
Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) made an emergency landing of an Airbus in Graz, Austria on Monday evening after engine problems.
L’Oréal acquires South Korean subsidiary of Migros’ cosmetics brand
This content was published on
French cosmetics firm L'Oréal is acquiring Gowoonsesang Cosmetics, the South Korean subsidiary of the Migros-owned Mibelle group, for an undisclosed sum.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Berset pushes for tax-hike to solve pension problems
This content was published on
Swiss President Alain Berset has defended his proposed pension reform plans, which include a 1.7% increase in valued-added tax (VAT) to fund it.
This content was published on
The number of doctors is increasing in Switzerland. Although men remain in the majority, the proportion of female doctors is up.
This content was published on
Johanna Spyri’s heart-warming story was based on the real-life adventures of Heidi Schwaller, 92, who grew up near Chur in the Swiss Alps. swissinfo tracked down Heidi to find out what became of the legend. Fresh from the birthday party of one of her fellow residents in the luxurious retirement home of Ruhetal, Schwaller sips…
Work pension challenge targets age-related unfair dismissals
This content was published on
A lobby group representing the interests of older workers has launched an initiative to reform the occupational pension system.
This content was published on
The Swiss government on Friday fixed the outlines of a new state pension reform plan, including raising the retirement age for women from 64 to 65.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.