Defence budget boost likely to fail

Federal Parliament Building, Bern.

A proposed CHF 15bn boost to the defence budget is not likely to get through the Council of States.

Centre-left parties want the extra money for the army and Ukraine. The idea is CHF 10bn will be spent on the army over the next 5 years and CHF 5bn to help Ukraine. 

But the upper house’s finance committee has rejected the package, saying it will increase the country’s debt and lead to cuts elsewhere.

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