THE BRIEFING · 17.09.2026 · 08:00 / 14:00 / 20:00
Shots were reported at a rave at the Pferderennbahn Schachen horse-racing track in Aarau in the early hours of 30 August. The Aargau cantonal police said there were “multiple victims” and asked the public to stay away from the area.
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A severe storm line with large hail and strong winds swept across the Lake Constance area on 28 August 2026, causing dozens of injuries and widespread damage across Switzerland, southern Germany and northern Italy.
Swiss garden journalist Ute Studer will publish Tomatenglück on 7 September 2026. Publisher and retailer listings corroborate ISBN and release date; some bibliographic details differ between media and the publisher.
At the Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League meeting, Alison dos Santos ran a new 400m hurdles world record of 45.80 seconds. Swiss hurdler Dany Brand recorded a personal best in the same race.
The Bern cantonal branch of the FDP has announced a citizens’ initiative aiming at a significant reduction of the cantonal income tax for individuals. Signature collection is planned to begin in autumn; the political and fiscal implications are the subject of debate.
High, often opaque hospital bills triggered public scrutiny after the Crans‑Montana fire victims received preliminary invoices. The case highlights structural issues in Swiss hospital billing, patient information and the interaction with insurers.
On 26 August 2026 the Swiss Federal Council approved the government message for a new federal law on support for national exhibitions and authorised a CHF 40 million Swiss contribution to a SECO–IMF partnership for 2026–2030.
The Federal Council approved on 12 August 2026 a message proposing a temporary 0.5 percentage‑point rise in value added tax for twelve years and the creation of a debt‑capable defence fund. The package now goes to Parliament, triggering legislative debate and a likely popular vote if both chambers approve it.
On 20 August 2026 Swiss and Chinese officials in Bern announced the conclusion of negotiations to “optimise” the 2014 Switzerland–China free trade agreement. The revision aims to extend tariff-free access for most Swiss goods to China and updates customs and trade facilitation rules — a move with immediate economic implications and political debate in Switzerland.
The Federal Council wants to raise the standard VAT rate by 0.5 percentage points from 2028 for a limited period. A procurement question is becoming a wider dispute about security, consumption and public finance.
New chief Pascal Grieder faces a classic infrastructure dilemma: modernise and save money without weakening universal access.
Travail.Suisse is demanding across-the-board increases while employers expect far less. The dispute is about more than inflation.
Graubünden posted a record June and domestic overnight stays increased in Valais, while some Asian markets weakened. The boom is therefore uneven.
The unemployment rate rose to 3.0 per cent in July and the number of registered unemployed is clearly higher than a year ago.
After almost ten years of remediation, contaminated gardens, meadows and fields around Raron have largely been cleaned up.
Health insurance, electricity and subscriptions: Twint plans a direct-debit feature, reshaping competition in Swiss payments.
Swiss online retail is reporting sharply higher drone sales, while rules, registration and safe operation become more important.
Travail.Suisse is calling for higher wages, citing productivity gains and purchasing power, setting up a difficult bargaining round.
More domestic visitors are heading to cooler mountain regions, creating both opportunity and a warning as climate change shifts demand and infrastructure needs.
Bern and Beijing have concluded negotiations to upgrade their free-trade agreement, balancing market access with concerns about strategic dependence.
The federal government, cantons and municipalities have adopted a common charter designed to strengthen prevention and provide practical support.
Of 16 additional measures, eight have been implemented and seven are under way, according to the armed forces. The review shows progress but also the pace of institutional change.
The Federal Council wants to speed up key investments with an additional CHF 970 million credit, bringing security policy directly into the budget debate.
Negotiations to upgrade the free trade agreement are complete. Under the revised deal, 99.8 percent of current Swiss exports could enter China duty-free.
Artificial intelligence is often presented as a productivity machine and therefore as disinflationary. SNB governing board member Petra Tschudin points to the opposite force: an investment boom, chip shortages and redirected capital can push prices higher first.
Bern and Beijing have concluded negotiations to upgrade their free-trade agreement. For Switzerland, the key figure is 99.8 percent — the share of current Swiss exports that should be able to enter China duty-free under the revised deal.
The KOF indicator is above its long-term average, although industry and consumption continue to send different signals.
The vote is no longer only about a historic principle. It concerns sanctions, security and room for political action.
The Federal Council is implementing additional measures from the EU’s 20th sanctions package. Bern is therefore maintaining its policy of aligning with key European restrictions while preserving formal decision-making autonomy.
Ahead of the September 27 referendum, the Federal Council is warning against a rigid constitutional definition of neutrality. The vote is therefore less about whether Switzerland stays neutral than about how flexible that neutrality can remain.
An early estimate shows Swiss growth running far stronger than expected in the second quarter. Chemicals and pharmaceuticals led industry, while services also expanded.