Council of States says no: Higher federal contribution to premium discounts off the table

The federal contribution to the premium reductions will not be increased by 30 percent. The Council of States rejected three similar motions on Monday.

The small chamber rejected two identical motions by Isabelle Chassot (centre/FR) and Marina Carobbio Guscetti (SP/TI) by 24 votes in favour, 27 against and two abstentions and 24 votes in favour, 15 against and four abstentions.

Chassot and Carobbio Guscetti wanted to order the Federal Council to increase the federal contribution to the individual premium reduction by 30 percent in an urgent federal resolution limited to one year. The cantons will receive the extra resources on the condition that they do not reduce their own contribution.

A motion from the SP-fraction of the National Council with the same concerns was rejected by 25 against 15 votes with three abstentions. The idea is now off the table.

The Grand Chamber adopted the proposal in its autumn session in its special debate on the subject of purchasing power. At that time, an alliance of SP, Greens and Center prevailed in the large chamber.

It was originally intended that the Council of States would also discuss the proposals of Chassot and Carobbio Guscetti in the autumn session. At the time, however, the alliance between the Ratslinker and the center party did not play out in the small room. Instead, the small chamber assigned the two motions to its Committee on Social Security and Health for preliminary deliberation and did not debate them until the winter session. (sda)