EU official tells the Swiss why they need to accept immigration and violent riots shake Lausanne — these are among the big news stories from Switzerland this week. You can catch up on everything in this weekly roundup.
EU envoy tells the Swiss why they need immigration
Petros Mavromichalis, the outgoing EU Ambassador to Bern, made a point this week to those in Switzerland who drastically want curb the influx of foreigners coming to the country.
“Immigration is not the result of free movement, but of economic growth. If the economy needs workers, it will find them,” Mavromichalis said.
“The only way to reduce immigration is to relocate [Swiss] companies to the United States, as the American president wants. You will no longer need foreign workers in Switzerland,” said the diplomat.
The envoy compared the ‘overcrowding’ that some complain of in Switzerland with regards to immigration to the situation on islands of his native Greece.
“I always see more tourists. I have to make reservations in restaurants. I can’t always find a free umbrella on the beach. It’s unpleasant. But it’s not the tourists’ fault. Greece lives off tourism. If you build hotels, tourists come. It’s the same in Switzerland. You have companies that create jobs. You need people to fill those jobs.”
READ MORE: ‘If you want lower immigration in Switzerland then move companies to US’
Lausanne is shaken by riots and criticism of its police
The Vaud capital had been hit by violent youth riots this week, with the local police force facing criticism following the death of a teenager trying to evade them on a stolen scooter.
These incidents – unprecedented in a normally calm city – happened as the spotlight was shed on Lausanne’s police, with four officers suspended following the unearthing of racist, sexist and discriminatory messages they exchanged in private WhatsApp groups.
READ MORE: What’s behind the violent unrest in Swiss city of Lausanne?
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Swiss economy to weaken in 2026
Next year, the Swiss economy will likely grow more slowly than previously expected. due to the massive import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Due to 39-percent tariffs the Trumpt slapped on Switzerland from August 1st, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said it was now looking at weaker growth.
Already in June, a below-average growth for the Swiss economy was projected: 1.3 percent this year and 1.2 percent in 2026.
However, “With the introduction of higher US tariffs on imports from Switzerland, the outlook has worsened further,” SECO said,
READ MORE: Swiss economy set to slow and it’s all thanks to Trump
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You can no longer send packages to the US
From Tuesday August 26th, the Swiss Post has temporarily stopped accepting shipments to the United States.
The reason is that at the end of July, Donald Trump signed an executive order to end a global tariff exemption for goods shipped to the country, abolishing the exemption limit of USD 800 for goods imported into the USA .
While intended to stop shipments of cheap merchandise from China and other markets, the measure ultimately affects anyone who wants to send goods to friends or relatives in the US.
READ MORE: Why Swiss Post has stopped shipping goods to the US
Swiss employees could lose thousands of jobs due to US tariffs
A new UBS study estimates that up to 20,000 employees could their lose their jobs in Switzerland as a result of 39-percent tariffs that Donald Trump imposed on Swiss imports.
Three cantons in particular have the highest share of exports destined for the US market and will, therefore, be most affected by job losses.
They are Basel, the hub of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as Neuchâtel and Jura, the centre of watchmaking.
READ MORE: US tariffs threaten ‘up to 20,000’ jobs in Switzerland
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Women with children have lower wages than their male counterparts
According to a report published by the Federal Council, married women with children working in both private and public sectors earned 21 percent less than married men with children in 2022.
Child-free married women earned 16 percent less than married men, while the gender pay gap stood at 1.3 percent for single people.
But there is some good news for those with children. as parenthood actually boosts earnings for both sexes, especially for those in middle to senior management positions: men with children earned 21.4 percent more than child-free men, but the difference was just 6.6 percent for women.
READ MORE: Why working mums in Switzerland get such a bad deal
