Politics
Stefan Fritschi of the FDP and Kaspar Bopp of the SP are heading into a knife-edge runoff for the city's top job, with analysts unable to predict a clear winner. Winterthur will elect its new Stadtpräsident on 10 May, with the race between FDP candidate Stefan Fritschi and
Rising fuel prices since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East have pushed Swiss drivers towards electric vehicles in unprecedented numbers. Swiss interest in electric vehicles has surged dramatically since the outbreak of the Iran conflict drove fuel prices sharply higher. According to AutoScout24, Switzerland's largest car
Animal rights activists are returning to the streets this Saturday after videos of city rangers trapping and killing pigeons at Stadelhoferplatz sparked a wave of public outrage earlier this month. A second demonstration in support of Zürich's urban pigeon population is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon at Stadelhoferplatz,
Transport
A 35-year-old man has been handed a 50-month prison sentence after deliberately ramming a cyclist on the Rosengartenstrasse and throwing a burning flare into a crowd at a Travis Scott concert. The Bezirksgericht Zürich has sentenced a 35-year-old man to four years and two months in prison following two separate
Education
A new initiative backed by the canton aims to reduce language barriers for the city's large expat community, with evening and weekend classes starting in September. The University of Zürich has announced a free German language programme for international residents of the canton, launching in September 2026 with
Environment
Water temperatures reached 18°C this week — three weeks ahead of the typical season — prompting the city to open its lakeside bathing areas from 1 May. The city of Zürich has confirmed that its lakeside bathing areas — including the popular Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen and Seebad Utoquai — will open on 1 May
Business
The Zürich-based bank posted a net profit of $2.1 billion for the first quarter, ahead of analyst expectations, as it confirmed the Credit Suisse integration will be substantially complete by year-end. UBS reported first-quarter net profit of $2.1 billion on Tuesday, beating analyst consensus estimates of $1.85
Organisers say international interest in the festival has never been stronger, with submissions up 18% on last year and a new focus section dedicated to Alpine cinema. The Zürich Film Festival has received 210 feature film submissions for its 2026 edition — a record high and an 18% increase on the
Housing
A new programme targeting vacant commercial space in Oerlikon and Altstetten aims to add much-needed housing stock without requiring new construction land. The Stadtrat has approved a conversion programme that will transform underutilised office buildings in Zürich Oerlikon and Altstetten into approximately 800 residential apartments over the next four years.
Transport
City safety figures for the first quarter of 2026 show no cycling fatalities — a milestone attributed to the rapid expansion of protected bike lanes since 2023. The city of Zürich recorded zero cycling fatalities in the first quarter of 2026, the first time this has occurred in any quarter since
After months of public consultation, the vote brings a long-debated infrastructure project one step closer to breaking ground — but controversy remains. Zürich's city council has approved the extension of the tram network through the Langstrasse district by a vote of 82 to 36, bringing to an end a
Housing
Median rents for family-sized apartments have crossed a symbolic threshold, intensifying political pressure on the canton to accelerate affordable housing construction. New figures from the cantonal statistics office show that the median rent for a 3.5-room apartment in the city of Zürich reached CHF 2,820 per month in