More politicians call for easier access to air conditioning; crowdfunding campaign raises money to pay fare-dodger fines; plus other Swiss news in our roundup this Friday.
More politicians call for easier access to air conditioning
The summer of 2026 is set to break all records for heat and drought, which means “we must get used to a new reality: climate change is already altering our living conditions,” said deputy Martine Docourt.
She and scores of other elected officials are therefore calling on permit regulations for the installation of air conditioners to be simplified.
Most, however, want priority to be given to hospitals, schools, retirement homes, as well as other public buildings, before private dwellings.
Energy Minister Albert Rösti also said that he was “generally in favour” of relaxing the existing regulations in this area.
READ MORE: Do you need permission before getting air conditioning in Switzerland?
Crowdfunding campaign raises money to pay fare-dodger fines
Since the beginning of July, a Swiss association called ‘Freiheitsfonds Schweiz’ (Swiss Freedom Fund) has been paying fines for people in precarious financial situations who are facing prison sentences because they were caught without a ticket on public transport.
“That an unpaid fine should lead to prison is completely disproportionate. It amounts to punishing poverty,” said Basil Weingartner, the association’s co-founder.
The association had raised money through a crowdfunding campaign launched specifically to prevent impoverished fare dodgers from going to jail.
The cause has sparked much sympathy among the public. Initially aiming to raise 50,000 francs, the association far exceeded this goal, ultimately collecting 92,000 francs.
READ MORE: How much will I be fined for not having a train ticket in Switzerland?
A third of French speakers in Switzerland would like to live in France
Usually, immigration goes the other way: French citizens come to work in Switzerland either as residents or cross-border commuters.
But a new survey carried out by Comparis consumer platform shows that the opposite trend is gaining momentum: more than 92,000 Swiss nationals in the French-speaking Switzerland – 30 percent in total – have their minds set on relocating to France.
The reasons include much cheaper rents and property prices across the border, especially in proportion to much higher Swiss wages.
Such a move does, however, raise certain concerns, according to the survey.
Top among them are longer commute to jobs in Switzerland, as well as uncertainties regarding local administration, taxation and health services.
Economic prospects for Switzerland continue to brighten in most sectors
Switzerland’s economic outlook improved further in July, according to the KOF Economic Institute.
“The outlook for financial and insurance service providers, other service sectors, the construction industry, and the manufacturing sector is all brightening,” the KOF economists wrote.
Additionally, the electrical industry and the automotive and mechanical engineering sectors are “also sending positive signals,” the Institute reported.
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