Social Democratic Party of Switzerland launches violence protection initiative

The Social Democratic Party (SP) of Switzerland has unanimously launched a protection initiative against violence against women during its party congress in Thun. The initiative aims to improve prevention and strengthen cooperation between the federal government, cantons, and specialized agencies. It calls for an additional annual allocation of at least 500 million Swiss francs to combat gender-based violence.

Federal Councilor Beat Jans emphasized that domestic violence is not a private matter and called on men to take responsibility, noting that a vast majority of perpetrators of serious sexual and violent crimes are men. Party leaders highlighted the urgency of the issue, citing that 27 women were killed in Switzerland in 2025, with 18 killings already recorded in the current year.

In addition to the initiative, Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider addressed the upcoming federal elections and the financing of the 13th AHV pension. She noted that without additional funding, such as the proposed VAT increase to be voted on November 29, the AHV could face a deficit spiral. The congress also touched upon climate change and European security challenges.