Tag Archives: Politics

Share this article Part I of II, by Claudio Grass Western civilization – with all its scientific and technological progress, artistic prowess, philosophical and sociopolitical evolution, moral values, ethical principles and rich culture – took millennia to reach its famed “Enlightenment” point. It has been a rollercoaster, violently swinging from highs to lows and from darkness to light, from autocracy, tyranny and despotism to humanism and individualism and back again. The “Old...

Share this article The post-covid years have brought about an unquestionable acceleration and intensification in the attacks against the Western value system, against basic Enlightenment ideas and principles and against the pillars of the very civilization that gave us all the liberties, the rule of law and the justice system that we enjoy today (or used to enjoy until fairly recently at least). All-important and self-evident ideas like the concept of meritocracy, individual liberty,...

This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided to cut CHF 35 off the compulsory annual fee households must pay for public television and radio. The fee will fall from CHF 335 to CHF 300 by 2029, reported RTS. The fee reduction will happen gradually, falling to CHF 312 in 2027 and then to CHF 300 in 2029. In addition, more companies will fall outside the criterion for paying the fee. The minimum annual turnover for qualifying will rise from CHF 500,000 to CHF 1.2 million. This will mean...

Swiss cantons have very different tax bases, tax rates and spending. Until 2008, all cantonal taxes remained within cantons. Since then rich cantons have been required to support poor ones via the national financial equalisation mechanism. Next year, every French-speaking canton, with the exception of Geneva, will receive a financial boost from their wealthier German-speaking neighbours, reported the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) this week. The wealthy canton of Zug © Avkost |...

Share this article Our special interview on Swiss Wealth Advisor with CLAUDIO GRASS, CEO and Independent Precious Metals Consultant, explores the manner in which astute investors may preserve wealth against the backdrop of debilitating central economic planning and monetary inflation.  Executive Global sit down to discuss macroeconomic trends, precious metals, monetary policy and philosophy with the advisor to affluent institutional and private clients....

Share this article Our special interview on Swiss Wealth Advisor with CLAUDIO GRASS, CEO and Independent Precious Metals Consultant, explores the manner in which astute investors may preserve wealth against the backdrop of debilitating central economic planning and monetary inflation.  Executive Global sit down to discuss macroeconomic trends, precious metals, monetary policy and philosophy with the advisor to affluent institutional and private clients. Executive Global: (EG) We...

After the successful vote to raise Swiss state pensions by one twelfth (a 13th month payment), the question of how to fund the extra CHF 4.2 billion a year required has been preoccupying many in Bern. This week, a parliamentary commission voted 13 versus 12 to postpone the question and to tackle it later during planned discussions aimed at reforming the pension system more generally, reported SRF. © Hai Huy Ton That | Dreamstime.comMany behind the vote argued a 13th month pension payment...

Share this article For the longest time, according to conventional and widely embraced wisdom, all responsible and prudent members of society had to have a savings account. All those hardworking taxpayers and all those forward-thinking and sensible individuals that understand the importance of planning ahead, of being prepared for whatever the future holds and of securing a better life for their children, have traditionally been expected to put whatever they could afford aside from their...

Share this article For the longest time, according to conventional and widely embraced wisdom, all responsible and prudent members of society had to have a savings account. All those hardworking taxpayers and all those forward-thinking and sensible individuals that understand the importance of planning ahead, of being prepared for whatever the future holds and of securing a better life for their children, have traditionally been expected to put whatever they could...

The cost of healthcare and the compulsory insurance residents must pay to fund it continue to rise. In 2022, healthcare spending rose 2.5%. At the same time, dental care is not covered. Politicians from the Green Party would like it included in basic cover. However, parliament voted against the idea this week, reported RTS. © Francisco Javier Zea LaraThe argument in favour of including dental care in basic insurance is that people on low incomes cannot afford the complimentary insurance...