Politics These are the key issues for the spring session
Numerous dossiers await the National Council and the Council of States in the spring session. The session lasts from today, Monday, until March 21. One highlight is likely to be the election of a replacement for Viola Amherd, a member of the Federal Council, on March 12. An overview in order:
03.03.2025, 04:30
SDA
OLD-AGE PROTECTION: From the end of 2026, AHV pensioners should receive a "thirteenth". The responsible National Council committee agrees with this proposal by the Federal Council. The Council of States has already approved the payment model. However, it is still unclear how the 13th AHV pension is to be financed. This part of the implementation of the popular initiative for the 13th AHV pension is being examined in depth by the responsible committee of the Council of States. A decision is not expected until after the spring session.
(Business number 24.073; to be discussed in the National Council on March 3).
TOBACCO ADVERTISING: The National Council is once again debating the implementation of the popular initiative "Children and young people without tobacco advertising", which was approved at the ballot box in 2022. After the upper chamber rejected the bill for a ban on tobacco advertising at the end of its first deliberation, the Council of States insisted on several exemptions in the law in the fall of 2024. A majority of the responsible National Council committee is now proposing compromises on several points. However, the SVP wants to send the bill back to the Federal Council with the demand that only the initiative text be implemented. If the National Council rejects the bill a second time, the matter is closed.
(Business number 23.049; discussed in the National Council on March 3)
AGRICULTURE: The Council of States will decide whether or not to cut federal funding for agriculture over the next four years. According to the majority of the responsible committee, the same amount of money should be available for 2026 to 2029 as today, namely around CHF 14.2 billion. The 1.6% cut requested by the Federal Council will not be implemented. The National Council wanted to make CHF 100 million and CHF 261 million more available for the promotion of production and sales as well as for direct payments to farms; the majority of the Council of States' preliminary consultation committee wants to do the same.
(Business number 24.061; discussed in the Council of States on March 3)
ENERGY: Parliament wants to speed up the approval process for the construction of renewable energy plants. However, the extent to which rights of appeal against energy projects should be restricted is controversial. In the first round of deliberations on the so-called acceleration decree, the Council of States went further than the National Council and decided not to allow appeals by associations for 16 hydropower projects. The upper chamber, which now has another turn, refrained from making drastic changes to objection rights during the first consultation. Now its committee is also proposing restrictions to the right of appeal by associations. The business is to be finalized in the spring session. A referendum against the bill and therefore a popular vote is currently likely.
(Business number 23.051; to be discussed in the National Council on March 4)
HEALTHCARE COSTS: The Federal Council wants to save CHF 250 million a year by introducing networks for coordinated care in the healthcare system. However, the measure, which is included in the second cost-cutting package for the healthcare system, is on the brink of collapse. The responsible Council of States committee no longer wants to hear about the networks; the National Council has already rejected them several times. There were also voices in the Council of States that spoke of a "bureaucratic monster" and opposed the approval of networks as new service providers. The second cost containment package is to be amended in the spring session.
(Business number 22.062; to be discussed in the Council of States on March 4)
TAXATION: A decision on the individual taxation of all people in Switzerland, regardless of marital status, is expected in the spring session. As the second chamber, the Council of States will deal with the law on individual taxation, which the Federal Council wants to oppose as an indirect counter-proposal to a popular initiative by the FDP Women for Individual Taxation. The responsible Council of States committee accepted the bill and adopted it by a wafer-thin margin in the overall vote. However, it proposed several amendments. The National Council approved the law by a narrow majority in September 2024. Parliament will only decide on its position on the popular initiative itself after deliberating on the draft law.
(Business number 24.026; discussion in the Council of States on March 4)
CASH: The National Council is debating whether and - if so - how the article on money and currency should be amended in the Federal Constitution. The reason for this is the popular initiative "Yes to an independent, free Swiss currency with coins or banknotes (cash is freedom)" launched by the Freedom Movement Switzerland (FBS) and a direct counter-proposal to this proposed by the Federal Council. The latter aims to take up the initiative's concerns and write existing legal provisions into the constitution. In future, it should state that the National Bank must guarantee the country's supply of cash. The responsible committee of the National Council supports the counter-proposal and rejects the initiative.
(Business number 24.063; discussed in the National Council on March 5)
CLIMATE: The taxation of inheritances worth millions for the climate is an issue in the National Council. Over the course of three days, the large chamber will discuss the popular initiative "For a social climate policy - fairly financed through taxation (Initiative for a future)" submitted by the Juso. It calls for a 50% tax on estates and donations of more than CHF 50 million. The revenue should be invested in climate protection measures. The initiative failed to pass the preliminary consultation committee. Proposals for a counter-proposal did not find a majority in the committee. The Conference of Cantonal Finance Directors also rejected the initiative.
(Business number 24.082; discussed in the National Council on March 5, 18 and 19)
SECURITY: The Federal Council wants to put a national system for recording air passenger data into operation from 2026, bringing it into line with numerous foreign countries. In future, it should be possible to automatically compare the data with police information systems in order to better combat terrorism and serious crime. The National Council has already said yes to this, and the Council of States is now discussing the bill. Its responsible committee has unanimously requested that the upper chamber follow suit.
(Business number 23.079; discussed in the Council of States on March 5)
ASYLUM: In the spring session, there will once again be debates on asylum, in extraordinary sessions in both chambers. These can be requested by a quarter of the Council members. In the National Council, four motions from the SVP are up for debate. They call for asylum seekers to be restricted in their freedom of movement if they are the subject of criminal proceedings. Anyone convicted of a criminal offense should have to leave Switzerland. And anyone entering Switzerland via a safe third country should no longer be able to apply for asylum. Another motion before both chambers demands stricter conditions for family reunification. The Federal Council rejects all four of these motions. The Council of States is also discussing an SVP motion calling for systematic border controls. This was also rejected by the Federal Council.
(Item numbers in the National Council 24.3716, 24.3734, 24.4320 and 24.4321; discussed on March 10 - Item numbers in the Council of States include 24.4444, 24.4318, 24.4429, 24.4495, 23.3886 and 23.4448; discussed on March 13)
BANKS: Parliament has commissioned a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (PCI) to investigate the emergency merger of the major bank Credit Suisse with UBS. At the end of 2024, the PUK published its report and at the same time adopted a bundle of motions, which are now being debated in Parliament. The Federal Council agrees with some of the demands. It also believes that the "too big to fail" rules for systemically important banks need to be adapted and that FINMA should be better able to assert itself against these banks. The Federal Council rejects the PUK's call to restrict the easing of capital and liquidity requirements for systemically important banks.
(Item numbers in the Council of States: 24.098, 24.4525, 24.4526, 24.4527, 24.4528, 24.4533, 24.4534, 24.4535, 24.4536, 24.4537 and 24.4538; discussed on 10 March. March - National Council business numbers: 24.098, 24.4529, 24.4530, 24.4531, 24.4532, 24.4540, 24.4541, 24.4542, 24.4543, 24.4544 and 24.4539; discussed on March 18)
CIVIL PROTECTION: The National Council has to decide whether those obliged to perform civilian service will in future have to perform part of their service with the civil defense if it has too few personnel. The Council of States approved this controversial bill in the fall, now it is the turn of the upper chamber. A red-green minority does not want to accept the proposals. Another minority only wants to discuss the bill together with provisions aimed at making civilian service less attractive. Parliament has requested a bill on this with a motion from the SVP parliamentary group.
(Business number 24.043; to be discussed in the National Council on March 11)
COMPULSORY SERVICE: The National Council is dealing with the demand that all Swiss citizens should have to perform some form of civil service in future. The reason for this is the Service-citoyen initiative, which is supported by several members of the Council from various parliamentary groups. According to the text of the initiative, the service could be performed not only in the army, but also for the benefit of the general public or the environment. The Federal Council rejects the initiative. It is of the opinion that people should only be obliged to perform services that are necessary for the security of the country. The initiators had received a great deal of support from the population in a survey when they submitted their request. A final statement from the responsible National Council committee is not yet available.
(Business number 24.079; to be discussed in the National Council on March 11 and 19)
FEDERAL COUNCIL ELECTION: On March 12, it will be decided who can take over the Federal Council seat of Viola Amherd (center) from the Upper Valais. The Center Party has put St. Gallen National Councillor and Farmers' Association President Markus Ritter and Zug Cantonal Councillor Martin Pfister in the running. It is customary for parliament to elect a person from the ticket, but it is not compulsory. There has been criticism of the candidates on various occasions. Nevertheless, it is likely that one of the two men will succeed Amherd and also inherit the Department of Defense from her.
(Business number 25.008; election by the United Federal Assembly on March 12)
HEALTH INSURANCE: The National Council is due to discuss the relaxation of compulsory contracts between health insurance companies and medical service providers. The reason for this is a motion by Peter Hegglin (ZG), a member of the Council of States. The requested amendment to the Health Insurance Act is intended, among other things, to counteract rising healthcare costs. The majority of the responsible committee of the National Council is proposing that the motion be accepted. The minority is concerned that the relaxation would give the health insurance companies too much power. The Federal Council proposes that the motion be rejected.
(Business number 23.4088; to be discussed in the National Council on March 13)
COLLECTIVE ACTIONS: The Federal Council has presented new proposals for collective legal protection on behalf of Parliament. The existing class action is to be expanded and in future will also allow the assertion of claims for compensation. The responsible National Council committee no longer wants to hear about this. It is asking the Council not to accept the proposal. The majority argues that the proposed instruments of collective legal protection do not fit in with the Swiss legal system. On the contrary, the bill poses the risk of an "Americanization" of the legal system. A minority still sees a great need for action and criticizes the fact that Swiss consumers would have significantly fewer rights than their European neighbors in the future.
(Business number 21.082; discussed in the National Council on March 17)
FAMILY REUNIFICATION: The discrimination against Swiss nationals in family reunification from third countries established by the Federal Supreme Court in 2009 could remain in place. This is what the Council of States has decided, and a narrow majority of the responsible National Council committee also no longer wants to make changes to the Foreign Nationals Act. Swiss nationals are currently not treated the same as citizens of EU and EFTA states when it comes to the reunification of parents and adult children up to the age of 21 from third countries. The National Council is dealing with the matter for the second time, having approved it in June 2024.
(Business number 19.464; discussed in the National Council on March 17)
COMPANY TAKOVERS: The Council of States is addressing the question of whether takeovers of Swiss companies by foreign investors should be subject to stricter controls. Its responsible committee no longer wants to hear about a "Lex China" and has requested that the bill not be approved. According to the opponents, strategically unobjectionable but absolutely necessary direct investments with foreign capital would be considerably hindered. The Federal Council was of the opinion from the outset that there was no need for an investment review. In September, the National Council approved the Investment Screening Act by a clear majority. It went even further than initially planned. The audit should also cover non-state investors.
(Business number 23.086; discussed in the Council of States on March 17)
FOREIGN AID: The Council of States decides whether Switzerland must stop its payments to the controversial UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) due to possible links to terrorism. Its responsible committee recommends a Yes vote by a very narrow majority to a corresponding motion from the SVP parliamentary group. The majority believes that other organizations could take over UNRWA's tasks. Like the Federal Council, the minority warns that UNRWA is indispensable in the region. If the Council of States passes the motion, the Federal Council must act. A second motion calling for a reform of refugee aid for Palestinians has also been submitted to the Council of States. The committee responsible for preliminary deliberations also approves it, and the Federal Council also requests a yes vote.
(Item numbers 24.3194 and 24.3815; to be discussed in the Council of States on March 18)
IV pensions: Recipients of IV pensions should also receive a 13th pension - but only if they are entitled to supplementary benefits (EL). This is what a narrow majority of the responsible committee of the Council of States wants to achieve with a motion. The majority argues that AHV recipients with supplementary benefits would be better off than IV recipients with supplementary benefits. The former would receive a "thirteenth" with the new constitutional article, which should not affect their supplementary benefits, while the latter would not. This must be rectified. A conservative minority rejects the motion. The National Council's sister committee is also calling for a 13th IV pension, but for all recipients of IV pensions.
(Business number 25.3014; to be discussed in the Council of States on March 19)
DEFENSE: Both Councils decide whether the Bern-based armaments company Nitrochemie should be supported with state funds from May 2025. The company is a joint venture between the Swiss Ruag MRO and the German Rheinmetall Group. The responsible committees in both councils have submitted identical motions on the subject. They demand that the supply of propellants for ammunition for the Swiss army be guaranteed in the long term. At the same time, the key role of nitrochemicals in the supply chains of European ammunition production should be significantly strengthened. The Federal Council proposes that the motions be approved.
(Business number in the National Council: 25.3012; discussed on March 19 - Business number in the Council of States: 25.3000; discussed on March 20)
