Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad, 

December 31 is usually a quiet news day, and this year is no exception. However, the Swiss government in Bern always has a little surprise up its sleeve – in the form of its annual official photo. You’ll find the 2025 version, along with some explanations about it, in today’s briefing. 

We'll also cover a calculation error (not from the Swiss government this time) that has affected the Swiss Federal Railways’ ranking in a comparison of 27 European railway companies.

Wishing you all the best for 2025! 

Enjoy the read,

Keystone / Valentin Flauraud

A calculation error has knocked the Federal Railways from second to 11th place in the ranking of Europe’s best railway companies, Swiss public broadcaster, RTS wrote today. Following this correction, the Swiss company is now among the worst performers in terms of passenger fares.

In early December, a study by the NGO Transport and Environment ranked the Federal Railways second among Europe’s best railway companies. However, RTS has learned from train enthusiasts that the NGO made a calculation error. As a result, the Swiss company has dropped to 11th place, behind France’s SNCF and the national railways of Austria, Spain, and Sweden. 

How could such an error have occurred? The NGO explains that it based its calculations on the ticket prices listed on the Federal Railways’ website. However, the default display on the website shows the price for a half-fare ticket; not the full fare paid by passengers who do not have a special discount card. This mistake is significant, since ticket prices are a major factor in this comparative study, accounting for 25% of the evaluation. 

However, the NGO assures that it’s not all bad news for the Swiss Federal Railways! The study’s author, Victor Thévenet, points out some positives. He notes that buying the half-fare subscription is very advantageous in Switzerland and many have one. The general conclusions of the study remain unchanged: the Swiss Federal Railways is still a model of punctuality, says the NGO. 

• Read the article on RTSExternal link (French)

Keystone / Christian Beutler

The youth wing of the Radical-Liberal party has proposed that university graduates should reimburse their study costs, an idea which has sparked controversy, according to the Tamedia Group’s German-language newspapers.

The Young Liberals are concerned about the increasing number of university graduates working part-time. “In the past, graduates repaid their study costs indirectly by working full-time in well-paid jobs and paying high taxes. Today, this social contract is breaking down,” says Jonas Lüthy, president of the youth wing of the Radical-Liberal party.

To address this issue, Lüthy suggests that graduates whose income tax falls below a certain threshold should be required to reimburse their study costs. The Young Radical-Liberals aren’t the first to advocate for this solution. Three years ago, economist Stefan Wolter proposed a similar system, and in February, the liberal-leaning think tank Avenir Suisse did the same.

The political left views the idea of reimbursement as absurd. “The Young Liberals are making policies for the wealthy,” says Matthias Aebischer, a Swiss parliamentarian from the left-wing Social Democratic Party. He argues that education in Switzerland should be free. “This is the essence of equal opportunities,” he says.

• Read the article in Der BundExternal link (German, paywall) or a summary in the newspaper 20 minutesExternal link (French). 

Keystone

From January 1, buying Rottweilers will be banned in canton Zurich. The decision has caused quite a stir, with several appeals already filed to the Zurich Administrative Court.

Following two incidents that left several people injured, the Zurich cantonal government decided to ban Rottweilers around ten days ago. They argue these dogs “pose a greater potential danger compared to other breeds” and they say this measure is intended to protect the public. Rottweilers are already banned in the cantons of Geneva and Valais. 

The Zurich Administrative Court confirmed on Monday to the Keystone-SDA news agency that it has received several appeals against the ban. These appeals do not have a suspensive effect, so the new law will still come into force on Wednesday. However, the court could later amend the Zurich government’s decision. 

Opponents believe banning Rottweilers will not solve anything. They say the court should instead tighten requirements for owners. “The ideal approach would be to act on three fronts: the dog itself, the public and their behaviour towards dogs, and the owners, whose behaviour isn’t always adequate,” dog trainer Michèle-Ouarda Dardouri told RTS. 

• Read the article on Keystone-SDA (Italian) or RTSExternal link (French).

Bundeskanzlei / Arthur Gamsa

Over 1,000 people feature in the new official group photo of the seven-member Swiss Federal Council (executive body), released today.

Commissioned by Karin Keller-Sutter, who will hold the rotating Swiss presidency for 2025, photographer Arthur Gamsa captured at least 40 people from each canton.  

The 1,052 portraits were then assembled into a mosaic, forming the backdrop for the group photo of the seven government ministers.  

• Watch the making-ofExternal link of the photo.

Translated from French by DeepL/sp/dos