Stories from Bern · Switzerland

Andre Wies has been elected as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors for SBB, the Swiss Federal Railways. Wies, the former head of the Swiss telecom group Swisscom, has served on the SBB board for one year. He stated his intention to develop SBB as a stable and modern backbone for Switzerland. He succeeds Monika L'écrivain. Wies is a former executive at Novartis and Implénya. Vier previously served as the head of the construction group Implenia.

A new law aimed at supporting 190,000 healthcare workers is proceeding to the Swiss Council of States for debate.

Swiss elections are set to take place over the next 40 days, with a focus on the June period. A stable government formation is expected following the new elections. The current political crisis does not appear to be imminent according to reports.

Switzerland has implemented an export ban on certain toxic substances, but dozens of other dangerous products continue to be exported globally. These products are being sent to locations including India.

Urs Talmann, Managing Director of Transparency International Switzerland, stated that lobbying in Switzerland lacks transparency. He noted that the organization does not know which companies are communicating with which members of parliament or the federal administration. Talmann described the current lack of transparency as a long-standing tradition. Transparency International is calling for increased transparency regarding lobbying activities in Switzerland. The organization noted that there is currently no Swiss law regulating the amount of lobbying permitted or the level of transparency required. This lack of regulation is a primary point of criticism for the group. The organization argues that voters have a right to know which interests are being represented when they cast their votes.

Insured individuals should be able to access AVS and AI data via an online platform. She said that a solid democracy requires the participation of those affected by local decisions, noting that over one-quarter of the population is currently excluded from the process. The proposal seeks to reduce the mandatory residency requirement from 10 years to 5 years and lighten overall procedures. A majority of bourgeois parties, including the UDC, PLR, and Centre, are opposing the initiative, arguing it is not the correct solution. The threshold is to be determined in consultation with the cantons. The matter now moves to the Council of States, which had passed an identical motion in March. The Swiss National Council adopted a motion on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to allow the culling of wolves once their population reaches a predefined number.

The Swiss National Council has issued decisions regarding working conditions for nurses that are less generous than those proposed by the Federal Council. Working weeks for Swiss nurses may last up to 50 hours instead of 45. The decisions also involve limitations on remuneration.

A US commerce representative issued a report criticizing the dominant market positions of Swiss retailers Coop and Migros. The report claims these giants favor local brands, creating a obstacle for foreign products in the Swiss market. This criticism comes amid ongoing customs conflicts involving Switzerland. This criticism comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the United States and Switzerland. The US representative described the current market structure as a barrier to international competition. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik criticized Canadian trade strategies. Lutnik described the current approach as a poor strategy and noted the scale of the US economy. He questioned the effectiveness of Canadian officials engaging with China, characterizing the Chinese economy as entirely export-driven. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticized Canada regarding trade relations.

The Swiss National Council decided on the implementation framework for a nursing initiative yesterday. The initiative was widely accepted by the public in 2021. The resulting version for improving working conditions for nurses will be less generous than previously proposed. The Council's version includes no reduction in maximum weekly hours and offers more modest compensation for Sunday work. This decision deviates from the more generous proposal previously suggested by the Federal Council. The Parliament's proposal includes more modest Sunday pay and does not reduce the maximum number of weekly working hours.

New rules regarding the transparency of political financing in Switzerland entered into force on Wednesday, April 29. The regulations aim to reveal the sources of funding for political activities in the country.