Federal budget deficit to be significantly lower than forecast

The Swiss government's budget deficit will be significantly lower than forecast. Instead of the CHF2.6 billion initially forecast, the Federal Council expects a financing deficit of CHF900 million. This revised estimate is due to lower-than-expected expenditure. Ordinary expenditure is expected to be CHF1 billion lower than budgeted, thanks in particular to unused budget appropriations. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In addition, the payment of the extraordinary capital contribution to Swiss Federal Railways has been postponed to 2025, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday. This amount was reduced from CHF1.15 billion to CHF850 million following parliamentary deliberations that took longer than expected. The government now expects a financing surplus of CHF200 million in the ordinary budget, instead of the CHF400 million deficit forecast in June. The financing deficit forecast in the extraordinary budget remains unchanged from June, at CHF1.1 billion.