Thousands protest Geneva’s proposed budget cuts

Several thousand people took to the streets of Geneva on Saturday to oppose planned cuts in the canton’s 2027 budget, SRF reported. The draft includes savings of 247.7 million Swiss francs.

Geneva police said about 3,500 people joined the peaceful demonstration, while organisers estimated turnout at 6,000 to 7,000. Keystone-SDA counted just under 5,000. Police reported no incidents.

A coalition of unions, associations and left-wing parties called the protest. Participants included workers from the culture, social services, health and education sectors. The march went from the Les Charmilles district across the Pont du Mont-Blanc bridge to the headquarters of Hospice général, the canton’s welfare authority, in the Rive district. A symphony orchestra of about 50 musicians played at the end.

A representative of the cultural organisation FRACG said culture should not be treated as a budgetary bargaining chip, adding that it was essential to democracy. Mireille Senn of the Geneva Trade Union Community (CGAS) welcomed what she called the demonstration’s broad representation.

The budget draft proposes, among other measures, a flat 4% reduction in subsidies for associations and 5% cuts to service contracts with Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and IMAD, an organisation providing care at home. The cantonal parliament is due to debate the proposal in mid-December.

After an earlier protest attended by 600 people in early October, Vincent Bircher of the public services workers’ union (VPOD/SSP) described Saturday’s turnout as a first step and said mobilisation would continue. Similar protests against budget cuts took place in Lausanne on Thursday, with another demonstration announced for Neuchâtel on November 20.