Health insurance costs will increase in Switzerland in 2026, but more in some cantons than in others; and the political decisions the parliament made this month — these are among the news that The Local reported this week. You can catch up on everything in this weekly roundup.
Health insurance to go up in 2026, but will vary by canton.
Health insurance rates will rise by an average of 4.4 percent next year.
However, they will diverge widely on regional basis: with a hike of 6.9 percent over current premiums, for instance, residents of Ticino will be saddled with the highest increase.
On the other hand, residents of Geneva will see their premiums well below the national average – ‘only’ 2.6 percent.
But the definite ‘winners’ are the residents of Zug – not only will their health insurance rates not increase, but they will actually drop…by 15 percent.
Chalk it up to the canton’s enviably high financial surplus, much of which will be distributed to the public in form or hospital costs.
READ ALSO: Which Swiss cantons will see highest hikes in health insurance premiums?
From immigration to army service: What Swiss MPs have decided on this September
As both chambers of Switzerland’s parliament wrap up their two-week-long autumn session, they have treated a number of both new and outstanding issues.
Among them were an anti-immigration referendum (which was heavily rejected), transit tax for foreign tourists, new ‘working from home’ rules, as well as military service – both for Swiss citizens who would rather perform civilian service, and dual Swiss-French nationals who prefer to do a ‘lighter’ form of their service in France.
READ ALSO: The key decisions taken by the Swiss parliament this September
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Federal government is seeking ways to cut its spending
Fearing a “budgetary imbalance”, with spending increasing significantly faster than in-coming revenue, the fiscally-savvy Swiss government intends to continue reducing the state budget by cutting its spending in various areas.
They include, among other cost-slashing measures, lower contributions toward national and regional public transport, as well as higher tuition fees for university students – for example, double the current cost for Swiss students and as much as four time the price for foreign ones.
READ ALSO: Switzerland could ‘quadruple’ tuition fees for foreign students to ease debt
Switzerland’s two largest cities at a risk of a real estate bubble
Property price increases in Zurich and Geneva have far outpaced income growth, making both these citiet unaffordable for residents, according to a recent UBS study.
Experts say that property prices in the two Swiss cities have continued to rise more than in many other locations: adjusted for inflation, they have climbed 4 percent in Geneva and 5 percent in Zurich, where the cumulative increase since 2021 has reached 25 percent.
READ ALSO: Property prices in Geneva and Zurich become ‘unaffordable’ for residents
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Parliament sets new ‘work from home’ rules
According to a bill approved by the lower house of the parliament, people who work from home will be subject to more flexible rules, allowing a better work-life balance.
For instance, daily work must be provided within a range of 17 hours, instead of the current 14.
Rest time, however, is reduced to nine hours instead of 11, and it can be interrupted for urgent work – with appropriate compensation.
Additionally, it must be possible to work on Sundays of one’s own accord, for up to five hours six times a year, with a 50-percent pay increase.
The terms and conditions are set out in an agreement between employees and the employer.
Also included is the ‘right to disconnect’ from work – thus fostering work-life balance and reducing burnout among employees.
READ ALSO: Switzerland eases rules around working from home and right to disconnect
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Reminder: Swiss will vote on two issues in the September 28th referendum
In the latest round of national referendums this Sunday, Swiss voters will have their say on two controversial issues.
The first is a long-debated and still contentious issue of the electronic identification card (e-ID).
And the second concerns an amendment to the law that abolishes the taxation of the imputed rental value and restricts the options for tax making deductions.
This would apply to both primary and second residences.
READ ALSO: What’s at stake in Switzerland’s September referendums?
