Corona Crisis and Public Finances

Question 1: Support measures

During the pandemic, the Swiss state introduced various measures to support the economy. For example, it has provided guarantees for bridging credits, expanded support for short-time work, introduced a compensation scheme for the self-employed and provided financial support for particularly hard-hit companies. In your opinion, the total amount of support provided by the state during the pandemic has so far been

Question 2: Fiscal programme

Some countries have initiated fiscal programmes to stimulate the economy this year. A proposal for Switzerland to launch a fiscal programme is, in your opinion,

Question 3: Debt brake

The support measures cause high deficits and an increase in nominal federal debt. According to the Swiss debt brake, the deficit on the so-called amortisation account should be paid off within six years through structural surpluses in the ordinary budget. In special cases, the Federal Assembly can extend the deadline for debt reduction. From an economic point of view, how should the central government best deal with the increase in debt caused by the crisis?

Question 4: Debt reduction

For a swift reduction of the Confederation's nominal debt, expenditures would have to be reduced or revenues would have to be increased. Which measure would be most suitable from an economic point of view?

Question 5: Debt ratio

In 2019, and thus before the Corona crisis, Switzerland had a public debt ratio (according to the Maastricht definition) of around 26 percent of GDP. As a result of the exceptional measures introduced during the pandemic, the ratio rose to over 30 percent. What public debt ratio should a country as Switzerland aim for in the medium to long term?

Question 6: Profit disbursement SNB

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) wants to distribute up to CHF 6 billion annually to the Confederation and the cantons. Should the Confederation earmark its part of the profit disbursement for debt reduction? In your view, such earmarking is