The trend of declining number of marriages continues. A total of 38,200 couples tied the knot in 2019, a decrease of 6.2% compared to the year before, according to figures released by the Federal Statistical Office on Monday.
The lack of appetite for the institution of marriage was seen across all segments of the population but was especially marked among foreign residents. The decline in marriages was 4.6% among the Swiss but 13.1% among the foreign population. Mixed marriages (Swiss with non-Swiss) also declined by 5.1%.
While same sex couples do not have the right to marry in Switzerland, fewer opted to enter into registered partnerships in 2019. Close to 650 same-sex couples made their relationships official last year, a drop of 7.9% compared to 2018.
The number of divorces saw a slight increase in 2019 with 16,600 marriages being dissolved (an increase of 0.4%). The rise was largely due to the high divorce rate among foreigners which increased significantly from 3,900 to 4,300 (10.4%).
More
More
How to marry like a Swiss commoner
This content was published on
How does a typical Swiss couple get married? We’ve created a handy guide on how to tie the knot in Switzerland.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
COP29: Swiss NGOs call for strong financial support
This content was published on
Ahead of COP29, Swiss NGOs call for wealthy nations to pay $1,000 billion a year to help other countries solve climate problems.
Real Swiss wages likely to rise in 2025, says UBS bank
This content was published on
Higher wages and falling inflation are likely to boost Swiss purchasing power, which will be dragged back by rising health premiums.
This content was published on
Switzerland has a new tectonic map at a scale of 1:500,000, containing updates to geometry, distribution and nomenclature of the tectonic units.
This content was published on
Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri, known for his artworks using leftover food with dirty cutlery and crockery, has passed away in Vienna at the age of 94.
Climate change tipped to alter Swiss avalanche patterns by 2100
This content was published on
Climate change is expected to result in fewer avalanches overall in Switzerland but to increase the danger of wet snow avalanches by 2100.
This content was published on
Voters in and around Zurich will soon decide on whether to define marriage in the constitution as between a man and a woman only.
Swiss secrecy is alive in the super-rich wedding business
This content was published on
Wealthy outsiders looking to celebrate big weddings away from prying eyes in their own countries can count on Swiss discretion.
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.