Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Sunny regards from Bern! Like much of Europe, we’re starting to feel the crisp air of autumn. But before you dive into those autumn-inspired recipes, here's something to consider: the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, along with the Swiss Society for Nutrition, has updated the food pyramid for the first time since 2011. What’s changed? What’s stayed the same? We’ll cover this, along with key news from the Swiss parliament and an update on the punctuality of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) this summer.

Happy reading!

Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle

Parliament rejects health insurance for the Swiss Abroad and halts cuts to child pensions

Efforts to provide health insurance for Swiss expatriates took a hit this week. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives narrowly rejected a proposal that would have allowed Swiss citizens living outside the European Union/European Free Trade Area (EFTA) to remain covered by Swiss health insurance.

The motion, proposed by Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter of the Centre Party, was deemed unnecessary by Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, who argued that the requested report wouldn’t offer any new insights.

A separate motion to stop child pension payments to countries such as the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, and Turkey was also rejected. However, a broader proposal that seeks to end child pensions globally, including in Switzerland, is still pending in the Senate.

• Read the article by my colleague Balz Rigendinger (in German)

Keystone / Anthony Anex

Signature collection scandal: ‘mafia’ tactics exposed

In a scene straight out of a film, Elias Vogt, a prominent opponent of wind power projects in Switzerland, found himself caught up in a drama of manipulation and deception, exposed by a joint investigation conducted by Swiss public broadcaster SRF and the Tages-Anzeiger.

The use of signature collection companies is not unusual in Switzerland. Vogt and the initiative committee decided they need external help and hired one such company.

However, the first batch of signatures given to Vogt’s committee failed to meet the required target, and the second batch was rendered completely invalid due to failure to follow legal guidelines. But the most shocking moment came when the company attempted to sell Vogt signatures that had already been collected by his own initiative committee. Vogt called this the “peak of audacity”.

Despite this, Vogt believes his committee will still collect enough valid signatures. However, he says committees like his struggle to keep track of which signatures are legitimate.

The Swiss press remains concerned by last week’s revelations about the illegal methods used to collect signatures for popular initiatives and referendums.

• Read the full story in the Tages-AnzeigerExternal link (German / subscription required)

Keystone / Christian Beutler

Swiss food pyramid gets an update

Most people are familiar with the food pyramid that we learned at school: the bottom of the pyramid, the widest part, has the kinds of food that we should consume most often in our daily diets, while the top has those we should largely avoid.

Introduced by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare in 1974, the pyramid has now been updated in Switzerland for the first time since 2011. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) along with the Swiss Society for Nutrition have made some important changes.

What’s new? Legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils, have been added to the protein section, emphasising plant-based proteins. Milk, which was previously in the protein part, has its own section along with nuts and cheese. Also, fruit juice, once recommended as a daily portion of fruit, is no longer advised due to its negative effects on blood sugar.

Many Swiss may find it difficult to adjust to the new recommendation for reduced meat consumption. The updated guideline suggests 18.7 kilograms of meat per year, significantly lower than the current average consumption of 48 kg.

What has stayed the same? Drink more water. Unsweetened natural drinks such as water and tea still make up the largest section of the food pyramid.

• RTS articleExternal link and video (in French)
• Der Bund interviewExternal link with Esther Jost, head of the Swiss Society for Nutrition (in German / subscription required)

Keystone / Alexandra Wey

SWISS airlines suffers from poor punctuality ranking

Officials at Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) might need to re-calibrate their SWATCH watches. SWISS and its parent company, Lufthansa, have been ranked among the worst airlines in Europe for punctuality and reliability this summer.

According to aviation law specialist Flightright, SWISS had a 2.6% cancellation rate and was tied with EasyJet as the third least punctual airline: only 43% of its 32,222 summer flights arrived on time.

Zurich Airport also fared poorly, ranked as the fourth worst airport, with a 2.4% cancellation rate and 40.1% of flights delayed.

“Swiss punctuality takes a hit, with the country’s aviation sector falling to the very bottom of the ranking,” declared French-speaking Swiss public radio, RTS.

• For more information read our news article (in English)

Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Switzerland in focus

Last February, artist Chris Hunter visited the Art Museum in Chur, in canton Graubünden, along with young pupils from Nikolai School in Chur.

There they discovered a portrait of Anna von Planta, who once lived in the museum’s Villa Planta. This portrait sparked the exhibition theme: the spirits of art. This was followed by workshops in the studio and the forest, where the children created masks, costumes, and shelters.

Chris Hunter filmed their shadow play and recorded sounds from the forest. This leads visitors to an exhibition that explores connections between works from the collection and video projections.