Govt announces more cuts to balance books

Friday, 31 March 2023 06:30

In a bid to balance its budget by 2025, the Swiss government has announced new cost-cutting measures.

The CHF 2 billion budget cuts brought in earlier this year will not be enough, says the government.

The main cuts will be to unemployment insurance – CHF 250m over 5 years – and railway projects of CHF 150m over three years.

The amount paid to cantons from federal tax will also be cut by CHF 200m

With some additional cuts to widow and widower pensions, the package should save CHF 700m a year from 2025.

But the government says the country will still be in the red.

More from Bitesize News

Heat to stay for now

The heatwave alert has been extended until Thursday, with temperatures set to climb as high as 37 degrees in some areas.
Growing anger over World Cup red card

The Swiss team's manager, Murat Yakin has called Breel Embolo's red card 'unacceptable', as anger builds over the refereeing of Switzerland's World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina.
Fire damages trees in the Jardin Anglais

A fire tore through part of Geneva's Jardin Anglais on Saturday morning, gutting several trees and damaging a lakeside building used by the Mouettes ferry service.
Cows sweltering in the heat

The heat is now hitting the country's dairy herds, with cows producing less milk as they burn extra energy to stay cool.
Lake Geneva nudists fight for their lake section

A hidden stretch of Lake Geneva shoreline has become the focus of a long-running battle over public nudity.
Holiday makers seek more than the sun

Nearly half of Swiss holidaymakers are choosing to learn a new skill on their summer break rather than simply lie on a beach.