Assisted suicides rise in Switzerland

The Swiss organisation Exit reported a rise in assisted suicides in 2025. In the German- and Italian-speaking parts of the country, 1,421 people chose assisted suicide, up from 1,235 in 2024.

The organisation’s membership is also growing. Over the past 12 months, 14,189 new members joined the association. By the end of 2025, Exit had 195,836 members in the relevant regions, an increase of 8 per cent year on year. In January 2026 alone, a further 2,400 people applied for membership.

According to Exit, the increase in cases is primarily linked to an ageing population and a rise in serious illnesses. The average age of those who chose assisted suicide was 80, compared with 79.5 in 2024. Women accounted for the majority of cases – 818 compared with 603 men.

The most common diagnosis was terminal cancer, representing 32 per cent or 461 cases. There was also a marked increase among older people with multiple conditions – 326 cases compared with 205 the previous year. Three quarters of assisted deaths, or 75 per cent, took place at home, with a further fifth, or 20 per cent, in retirement homes.

(swissinfo.ch, lud)