Vaud's Future Ministers to Earn 280,000 Francs Annually, Lifetime Pensions Eliminated

Members of the Vaud cantonal government are set to receive a significant salary increase and lose their lifetime pensions under a reform approved in a first debate by the Grand Council. The proposed changes aim to modernize the status of state councilors, aligning their compensation with current economic realities while ending a long-standing benefit.

Under the new framework, future ministers will earn an annual salary of 280,000 Swiss francs. This figure is intended to compensate for the elimination of lifetime pensions and to cover new mandatory pension contributions. The current system provides state councilors with a lifelong pension upon leaving office, but in exchange, they do not contribute to the second pillar pension scheme on their existing 260,000 franc salary.

The government had initially proposed a salary of 300,000 francs to offset the new pension contributions, but the parliament settled on 280,000 francs in the first reading. The reform, which passed with unanimous support in the Grand Council for its initial stages, still requires a second debate before it can be fully implemented. The move marks a significant shift in the financial arrangements for Vaud's executive branch.