In what appears to be a U-turn, the Swiss People’s Party is now backing the continuation of free Covid tests.
It was only last month when the two party members on the Federal Council, Guy Parmelin and Ueli Maurer, wanted to end free testing for the unvaccinated.
But now the right-wing party has changed its position and is backing free testing. The party says if testing needed to be paid for, it would be a burden on the young and those with less financial means.
The change in position may have something to do with a petition aiming to keep the tests free has now hit 235,000 signatures.
The tests are costing the Confederation millions.
But it now seems likely they will stay free as the left-wing parties have long supported free tests.
The Federal Council says it will not take any immediate retaliatory measures against the United States following the Trump Administration’s decision hit Switzerland with a 31% tax on exports.
In a hard-hitting editorial in the Blick newspaper this morning – it calls Trump an ‘angry old man’ - the paper says the Federal Council has to face the issue of world trade with clarity and courage – but admits it has a tough job ahead.
A Geneva court has thrown out an appeal against the new vehicle tax levied by Geneva which caused shock and surprise at the beginning of the year when many saw their tax bills soar.
US president Donald Trump unveiled a series of tariffs against countries around the world. He says the United States has been ‘looted, robbed and raped’ by friends and foes alike.