MPs rule the hard-right border protection initiative “counterproductive”; Swiss railways recorded nearly 100 instances of track deformation due to this summer’s heatwave; and more news in our roundup on Monday.
MPs rule right-wing border protection proposal ‘counterproductive”
Among political actions currently on the agenda of the populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is the bid to introduce more systematic controls at the country’s borders.
Its aim is to stem the flow of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants into Switzerland.
On Friday, however, the Council of States’ Committee for Political Institutions has rejected the proposal, citing concerns over negative impacts on the economy, tourism, as well as cross-border relations.
Next, The Council of States deputies will debate the initiative during the winter session of the Parliament, to be held from November 30th until December 18th. It will then then be discussed by the National Council, and both chambers will decide whether or not to offer their support to the proposal once it comes to the ballot box at a yet undetermined date in 2027.
READ MORE: What you should know about Switzerland’s proposed ‘Border Protection initiative’?
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SBB recorded nearly 100 instances of railway track deformation due to this summer’s heatwave
The national railway company reported 97 track deformation cases or compression-related buckling during the summer. This figure is nearly four times higher than the one recorded in 2025.
According to Patrick Braess, an expert from ETH Zurich, this kind of heat-related damages can cause train derailments.
Looking ahead to next summer, the SBB said it is already planning various measures to prevent such damage.
Among them is painting the tracks white, which has shown promising results in tests, even though the improvements are temporary.
Initially, the cooling effect averaged around 4.5C.
With time, however the benefit of paint has diminished. After two years,“this effect had weakened to about half that amount due to the accumulation of dirt,” the SBB said.
The heavier the traffic, the more quickly the effect fades.
Apartment-seekers must pay extra fees for first dibs to new listings
Two major real estate search platforms in Switzerland – the widely used Homegate and Immoscout 24 – are now offering a premium subscription service allowing those who pay a priority access to the new listings.
While an increasing number of people desperately looking for a rental accommodation are paying for the service, “individuals with limited budgets are being left behind.” said social worker Corinne Kaufmann, pointing out that this development leads to inequality “and increased discrimination” in the housing market.
Children in Basel region are banned from using a playground on Sundays
Sundays are ‘quiet’ days in Switzerland, and one property management agency in Sissach, just outside Basel, is applying this rule to the letter.
It has informed residents that a local playground will now be off-limits to children all day Sunday to prevent any noise in the neighbourhood.
Additionally, its opening hours during the week are subject to new rules as well: no access between 12 and 1 pm daily, so adults can eat lunch in peace, or after 8 pm, when local residents presumably go to sleep.
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