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Finance and tax policy

Political article

Debt brake: cost-cutting with a passion

During the pandemic, the debt brake was declared a national shrine. In financial policy terms, it was deemed a condition sine qua non for Switzerland's successful handling of the crisis. But is that really so? A ride through austerity hell.

Political article

Credit Suisse vs. Global South

What does Pakistan have to do with a bank in Silicon Valley which invests short-term client funds in long-term paper, the value of which diminishes when interest rates rise?

Political article

Haircuts for corporations

In view of the polycrisis, the UN is calling for a "haircut", a debt cut of 30%. It is high time that Swiss commodity traders also accept this.

Tax optimisation at the expense of the poorest

The agribusiness group Socfin shifts profits from commodity production to the low-tax canton of Fribourg. This tax avoidance goes hand in hand with profit maximisation at the expense of the population in the affected regions in Africa and Asia.

Article as analysis

New tricks with the tonnage tax

What the Federal Council and corporate lobbies are portraying as innocuous support for the shipping industry could prove the biggest tax loophole for Swiss commodities groups and circumvent the new OECD minimum tax.

On the side of warmongers and crisis profiteers

After the USA, Switzerland is the world’s most opaque financial centre. This is clear from the new Financial Secrecy Index of the Tax Justice Network (TJN).

Political article

Debt crisis: Disaster delayed

The corona pandemic is leading to a global debt crisis. Poor countries of the South are the ones bearing the brunt of it. Despite some multilateral efforts at debt relief over the past two years, the situation is growing steadily worse.

Political article

Eurocentric elation

In October, the OECD and G20 approved the new international minimum tax for multinational corporations. Hailed in Europe and North America as a historic success, the decision is being sharply criticised in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Article as analysis

«Inequalities are rooted in the system»

Stefano Zamagni, Italian economist and President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, explains in an interview why a new beginning with the civil economy can no longer be postponed.