Swiss nationals are convicted of more crimes than foreigners; Federal Council urges voters to reject the inheritance tax on the wealthy; and more news in our Tuesday roundup.
It’s official: most convicts in Switzerland are …Swiss
On Monday, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published the figures showing which nationalities were convicted of most crimes committed in 2024.
Throughout all categories, Swiss citizens were in the majority.
Overall, 33,088 people were convicted in 2024, including 12,642 Swiss nationals. Algerians came in second place, with 1,910 convictions. They were followed by the French (1,721) and Italians (1,518).
In terms of specific crimes, nearly 2,000 Swiss were convicted for the “life and bodily integrity” crimes, including murders.
They were followed by the Portuguese (229), the French (199), and the Italians (196).
For property crimes (including theft, robbery, and fraud), 4,953 Swiss were imprisoned, 1,600 Algerians, 1,174 Romanians, and 878 French.
And tor “sexual integrity crimes, 705 Swiss nationals were convicted, far ahead of the Portuguese (51), the Germans (40) and the Italians (35).
READ ALSO: Are Switzerland’s prisons full of foreigners as Trump claimed?
Government speaks out against inheritance tax
The Socialist Youth, a wing of the Social Democratic Party, collected enough signatures to launch an initiative calling for a 50-percent inheritance tax to be imposed on those whose assets exceed 50 million francs, with the windfall to be used for climate protection. It will be brought to the ballot box on November 30th.
On Monday, the Federal Council launched its own campaign to convince the voters to reject the proposal, arguing it “is not a good solution for achieving Switzerland’s climate objectives.”
Further, its implementation could force wealthy individuals and companies to leave Switzerland.
This would endanger jobs and lead to a decrease in tax revenue, with the government estimating these losses at between 200 million and 3.6 billion francs, depending on how many people would leave.
READ ALSO: Will wealthy people really ‘flee Switzerland’ over inheritance tax proposals?
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Zurich receives top credit rating – despite financial woes
As in previous years, Zurich has once again been given the highest “AAA” rating by Standard & Poor’s agency (S&P Global) – even though the city is expecting a large deficit in 2026.
S&P Global nevertheless highlighted the municipality’s “prudent financial management,” which “suggests a solid financial budget.”
The report also cites Zurich’s consistently high tax revenues, strong access to the capital market, and the exceptionally strong economy.
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Declaring calories in wine could become mandatory in Switzerland
Like their counterparts in the European Union, Swiss winemakers could also be required to list the ingredients and calorie count of their wines.
They could be listed either on the label or via a QR code that consumers can scan.
While some Swiss winegrowers are speaking against this ‘bureaucratic move,” the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) defends this “transparency measure for consumers,” which “adresses public health concerns.”
As the move’s supporters point out, wine is high in calories, which are often underestimated.
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