Whether funding for state pensions, nuclear power plants or a free trade deal with Mercosur, the Swiss parliament is struggling to make progress on some of the country’s most important political projects. The result is delays and mounting pressure. A review of the summer session. Although parliament was busy during the 2026 summer session, progress on major issues was limited. The difficulties are perhaps most obvious in the outcome of the debate over financing the 13th monthly payment under Switzerland’s Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) pension scheme, approved by voters in a 2024 referendum. The additional payment will cost between CHF4 billion ($5 billion) and CHF5 billion a year. More than CHF4 billion will already be needed this year. Yet the financing package approved by parliament covers a little more than CHF1 billion annually through a 0.4 percentage point increase in value-added tax (VAT). Minimum solution on funding for OASI After lengthy negotiations between the …