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ZURICH

Zurich approves simplified path to Swiss citizenship

Voters in Switzerland’s most populous canton on Sunday approved a proposal which will make it easier for foreigners to get Swiss citizenship.

Published: 16 May 2022 13:28 CEST
Updated: 22 May 2022 10:18 CEST
A Swiss passport seen up close
A Swiss passport seen up close. By SDE. - Own scan., Public Domain,

The vote passed with 69.1 percent support, making it the most popular of the four initiatives put to the polls. 

Around 350,000 foreigners live in Zurich, which is roughly one quarter of the population – although the percentage is as high as 50 percent in some municipalities. 

The successful proposal called for Zurich’s naturalisation process, including the citizenship exam, to be made uniform across all 162 municipalities. 

The questions in the exam will now be centralised on a cantonal level. 

The test will include 350 questions about Swiss history, tradition, politics and culture, with a focus on Zurich. 

Anyone taking the test will be given 50 questions at random and must answer at least 30 correctly to pass. 

More information about the citizenship process in Zurich can be found at the following link. 

EXPLAINED: How Zurich wants to make naturalisation easier

What else was decided on Sunday? 

Voters in Zurich also decided to reject a proposal to lower the voting age to 16, with 64.1 percent saying ‘nein’ to the proposal. 

A proposal to provide for more parental leave – and even up gender imbalances between fathers and mothers – was also rejected. 

Finally, voters supported law changes which sought to enshrine Zurich’s climate change goals in the cantonal constitution. 

A detailed breakdown of the vote can be seen here. 

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ZURICH

What you need to know about Taylor Swift’s Zurich concerts

Taylor Swift is coming to Zurich. That is good news for fans - and the city. Here's the lowdown.

Published: 4 July 2024 10:43 CEST
What you need to know about Taylor Swift's Zurich concerts

The pop star, 34, will be bringing her ‘Eras’ tour to the Letzigrund Stadium on July 9th and 10th for two sold-out shows.

The 90,000 tickets for the two concerts sold out in minutes when released.

It is even more impressive considering that tickets to the shows cost, at a minimum 167 Swiss francs – the most expensive in the world.

It marks the first time that the singer, 34, will perform in Switzerland, following the release of her latest album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.

The massive production – each show running for over three hours – will feature songs from each of her nineteen albums, which have sold a total of 151 million units.

Lucky enough to have a ticket? Here are our tips

If you’re one of the 180,000 who will be seeing Swift perform, there’s a few things to keep in mind.

By far the most convenient way to get to the Letzigrund Stadium is public transport.

The number 3 tram in the direction of Albisrieden will take you to the Albisriederplatz stop, a five-minute walk from the stadium

The number 2 extratram will also take you from Zurich Hauptbahnhof to the Letzigrund stop. It will take you just under 20 minutes. 

The number 31 bus from Bahnhofplatz will also take you to the stadium, dropping you off at the same stop. It will take you a similar amount of time. 

If you’re coming from elsewhere in Switzerland, don’t worry – the SBB will be putting on extra trains to get you to the event. 

With a marathon show, it’s advisable to make sure you’re well-fed. The area surrounding the stadium has a number of restaurants. With such an influx of visitors, it’s advisable to book ahead using a platform such as OpenTable. 

It’s also worth keeping an eye on the thread relating to the concerts on r/zurich for any fan events and breaking news. 

It’s also great news for the city

Swift’s Zürich concerts aren’t just getting fans excited. Businesses across the city are looking to benefit massively from the tour.

Hotels, youth hostels and camping sites are almost completely booked out and have been for several months.

The few remaining hotels with rooms are asking for up to 3,090 Swiss francs a night.

A representative from the Accor hotel chain told SRF: “As things stand, almost all hotels in Zurich are fully booked for July 9th via our booking platform.”

This is because US fans of the singer will regularly travel to other countries to see her perform, as it can be cheaper and tickets more readily available.

(Those who have paid a fortune to stay at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy have cause to celebrate – it’s where the singer is said to be staying during her time in Zurich.)

Restaurants, taxi services and retail outlets are also expected to benefit massively from the tour.

Swiftonomics: An international factor

The economic impact of a Taylor Swift tour is well known – a phenomenon known as ‘Swiftonomics.

One study showed that the average spend on tickets, accommodation, food and merchandise per concertgoer during the US legs of the ‘Eras’ tour was over $1,300.

Consequently, cities and even entire states have reported significant boosts to their GDP as a consequence – Los Angeles gained an estimated $320 million, while Colorado received 140 million.

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