Schools in some German-speaking cantons are no longer teaching French; Switzerland’s population doesn’t see neutrality as a priority; and more news in our roundup on Monday.
Not teaching French in Swiss German schools could ‘weaken national cohesion’, critics say
Out of 19 German-speaking cantons, only 12 currently teach French as a second language in primary schools, and more are thinking of abandoning it in favour of English.
This demise of a national language in favour of a foreign one is sparking criticism among some officials.
“This situation is one of the effects of globalisation, which leads to a loss of identity, Christophe Darbellay, president of the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Education, said in an interview on Sunday.
As for Frédéric Borloz, head of Vaud’s Department of Education and Vocational Training, “learning another national language is a necessity in Switzerland in the name of national cohesion.”
“Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we should back down. It is the responsibility of our cantons to find solutions to improve the teaching of German in French-speaking Switzerland, and French in German-speaking Switzerland.”
Neutrality is no longer as important to Switzerland’s population as it used to be
In fact, neutrality ranks in the seventh (and last) place among ‘Swiss ideals,’ as revealed in a survey carried out by Sotomo research institute and published on Sunday.
The Swiss political system, with its direct democracy, federalism, and army is the value that people in Switzerland cherish most — 57 percent of participants gave it the thumbs-up, placing it in the first place.
The economic model, considered stable and reliable, comes in second place (46 percent).
The country’s natural beauty is in third place (43 percent), followed by will and determination; linguistic and cultural diversity; sovereignty; and solidarity — 39 percent.
Fewest respondents (30 percent) rated neutrality as an important quality.
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Switzerland’s central bank may not distribute its profits to cantons this year
When the Swiss National Bank (SNB) makes a profit, some of that money is distributed among cantons, to be used for the benefit of their residents.
This year, however, this may not happen.
Due to the weak dollar, the bank is expected to be in the red in the first half of the year, and could therefore refrain from any distribution
And because of the continued volatility of the financial markets, the SNB is unable to forecast when it will be able to contribute money to the cantons again.
This situation is in stark contrast with 2024, when the SNB generated 80 billion francs in profit and distributed much of it to local governments.
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Fewer binge drinkers end up n Zurich’s ‘sobering-up cell’
According to city statistics, the Zurich City Police admitted 773 drunk or otherwise intoxicated individuals to the sobering-up cells last year.
This was the lowest number since 2016, the first year of the full operation of these facilities,
Set up to relieve pressure on hospitals and police stations, these ‘calls’ accommodate people who pose a danger to themselves or others while intoxicated.
They have to pay between 450 and 600 francs for their stay in this facility, approved for this purpose by Zurich voters.
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