Geneva wants to charge for parking spots based on income; fewer people are expected to buy real estate to Switzerland in 2026; and more news in our roundup this Tuesday.
In Geneva, parking fees could be income-based
In the future, Geneva residents could pay for their parking spaces based on their salary.
This is what the elected officials are pushing for: to link the cost of the ‘blue zone’ residential parking pass to the Unified Determining Income (RDU) – the amount calculated on the basis of a person’s income and wealth.
If the bill is approved later this week, the car pass would depend on the motorists’ income.
This idea is not new, having been launched in 2022. The bill was originally a counterattack to a Green Party bill, which aimed to increase the price of the parking pass to 800 francs for individuals and 1,200 francs for businesses.
Demand for properties is likely to fall in 2026
In Switzerland, real restate, and especially condominiums, have long been a ‘hot’ commodity.
However, according to Wüest Partner’s “Real Estate Monitoring” report published on Monday, demand for real estate is expected to decline, while construction activity is picking up again after a long lull.
Fewer individuals are currently looking to purchase properties, due to the lack of supply and high prices.
Added to this is a slowdown in the labour market.
As the study indicated, the number of employed people barely increased this year and is at its lowest level since the pandemic.
Consequently, “additional demand” for housing, for example from incoming workers, is also declining.
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Government will save 300 million francs annually on healthcare
A third round table on curbing the healthcare costs – and therefore, also the price of health insurance premiums – was held in Bern on Monday.
Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider presented 38 cost-cutting measures in 12 areas of the healthy system, aimed at saving at least 303 million francs annually.
This includes measures such as a reduction in unnecessary medical treatments and lowering insurers’ administrative costs.
However, she pointed out that the quality of care will always be guaranteed.
READ ALSO: Which Swiss health insurance companies will be cheapest in 2026?
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Migros hit by shortage of Lindt chocolates
If you are a fan of Switzerland’s famous chocolate brand, don’t go looking for it in the country’s largest supermarket chain, because you will likely not find any.
These supply problems are linked to ongoing price negotiations between the retailer and the chocolate maker.
According to a Migros spokesperson, the goal of the negotiations is to ensure that “our customers don’t pay too much for a branded product” – in other words, the retailer wants Lindt to lower its price.
There is no word about how long the iconic chocolate will be missing from the supermarket’s shelves.
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