Referendum is launched against individual taxation; government to help indebted people to get out of debtL and more Swiss news in our roundup on Monday.
Referendum is launched against individual taxation
Even though MPs have just approved the individual taxation of married couples in June, non-partisan committee has already launched a referendum against the move, arguing that the reform creates new inequalities.
Concretety, it will put families at a disadvantage because, according to referenfum intogators, married couples with only one income or with very different incomes would now be taxed significantly higher than couples with two similar incomes, thus overburdening the middle class.
If the referendum is successful — that is, if enough signatures are collected on the petitions — the people should be able to vote on it next year.
A federal bill gives debtors a chance to get out of debt
The Federal Council is proposing new procedures to help people who have accumulated excessive debt to put their finances in order.
The National Council’s Legal Affairs Committee supports this bill, which aims to limit “the social and economic costs of excessive debt in Switzerland.”
Concretely, the debtor will be able to enter into an agreement providing for the forgiveness of part of their debts — as long as the majority of their creditors approve the measure and that a judge validates it. The agreement will then be binding on all creditors, even those who did not sign it.
The Federal Council stipulates that debtors must, within three years, hand over all their assets that exceed the subsistence minimum to their creditors.
They must also prove that they are making efforts to earn a regular income. People who have respected these commitments throughout the procedure will be released from their remaining debts.
READ ALSO: How foreigners in Switzerland can get help if they are in debt
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Geneva residents will be able to park their cars in France
For the first time, Geneva’s Parking Foundation is making 130 P+R (Park and Ride) parking spaces available just across the border in the French community of Ferney-Voltaire (Ain).
This measure is meant to relieve the scarcity of parking in Geneva due to ongoing road construction and maintenance projects throughout the city and canton, according State Councillor Pierre Maudet.
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You can relax: The heatwave is over (at least for now)
If you are tired of the extreme heat that had hit Switzerland in June with 30-plus temperatures, you will be happy to know that the country will experience a ‘cold’ front this week.
Don’t worry though: while the temperatures are expected to drop in most regions of the country, it will still be very warm, but more in line with usual (more pleasant) summer weather.
This is what the forecast calls for in your neck of the woods:
MeteoSchweiz
(The left column shows the forecast for northeastern Switzerland; the middle one for the western part of the country; and the right one for the south).
This reprieve, however, will likely be a temporary one, because meteorologists believe the heatwaves may return later this summer:
READ ALSO: Switzerland set for ‘one of the hottest summers in history’
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch
