Switzerland

The Council of States has rejected the Federal Council’s proposal on permanent residency rights and wages, a setback for those hoping for a smooth path toward new EU treaties. While the chamber did reach an agreement on wage protection and a new immigration levy, the broader debate suggests that reaching a consensus with Brussels remains a distant prospect.

Households are feeling the cost of living elsewhere. Health insurance premiums are rising again, leading one economist to propose a new insurance model and a debt advisor to note that citizens are increasingly choosing between bills and basic needs. In Mendrisiotto, cross-border workers and retirees are picking grapes for 15 francs an hour; what was once described as a festive seasonal activity is now, for many, a financial necessity.

Public spending is under the microscope following reports that taxpayers are paying 1,200 francs per room to house asylum seekers in a former Sugus candy factory. Meanwhile, the energy sector has its own request for the state: the head of the Gösgen nuclear power plant is seeking two billion francs in federal aid to keep the facility running.