This week, the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) reiterated its position on immigration at a press conference ahead of Switzerland’s upcoming federal election, reported RTS. The party, Switzerland’s largest, also set out its stance on immigration on its website. According to party president Marco Chiesa, mass immigration and asylum chaos are Switzerland’s greatest problems. Too many […]
Switzerland ranked world’s voting champion
A report published this week by the Aarau Center for Democracy shows how far Switzerland leads the world on voting. Since 1848, Swiss voters have been asked to decide on 689 federal referenda and elections, a multiple of the number in any other nation. If cantonal and municipal votes are added the number of decisions […]
Geneva votes against higher 10-year wealth tax hike
On 18 June 2023, citizens of Geneva voted on whether to boost the rate of wealth tax applied to assets above CHF 3 million over the next decade – an extra CHF 44 to 49 per 1,000 would be levied on wealth above CHF 3 million for 10 years. 55.12% of voters rejected the idea. […]
Swiss vote results on company tax, climate and Covid-19 laws
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters voted on three federal initiatives on whether to tax large companies at minimum rate of 15%, adopt a package of incentives to reduce emissions and extend Covid-19 laws until mid 2024. Voting this weekend saw all three initiatives accepted. Majorities were in favour of higher (in most cantons) company taxes (78.45%), […]
Swiss to vote on a plan to cut fossil fuel use
On the 18 June 2023 the Swiss electorate will vote on the Federal Act on Climate Protection Targets, Innovation and Strengthening Energy Security. The question before voters is whether to accept the government’s counter-proposal to the Glacier Initiative, a popular vote formulated in 2018. The original Glacier Initiative was aimed at drastically reducing the use […]
Swiss to vote on higher company taxes
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters will choose whether to accept the federal government’s plan to raise the company tax rate applied to large multinationals to a minimum of 15%. The minimum 15% tax, which will apply to any company with annual revenues of Euro 750 million or more, has essentially been forced on Switzerland […]
Switzerland’s higher company tax vote – a step into the unknown
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters will choose whether to accept the government’s plan to raise company tax rates to a minimum of 15%. The minimum 15% tax, which will apply to any company with annual revenues of Euro 750 million or more, has essentially been forced on Switzerland by the OECD as part of […]
Swiss initiative that aims to let voters fire cabinet members
Currently, the members of Switzerland’s seven-member Federal Council, the nation’s executive or cabinet, are elected for four years by the members of parliament (National Council) and the upper house (Council of States). This week, an initiative was launched for a referendum on whether to allow voters to remove any Federal Councillor they don’t like, reported […]
Federal Council axes November 2023 voting
In Switzerland, citizens 18 and over are typically called to vote on a number of referenda four times a year. However, in 2023, the fourth scheduled date on 26 November 2023 was axed by the Federal Council this week, reported RTS. The referendum vote date was cancelled because it clashes with Switzerland’s four-yearly federal election, […]
Vote to preserve Swiss cash passes signature hurdle
Swiss voters look set to vote on whether to change the constitution to preserve the cash version of their currency after a group focused on defending Switzerland’s notes and coins announced it had collected 157,000 signatures, a figure exceeding the 100,000 required to launch a referendum, reported RTS. Of the 157,422 signatures the Swiss Liberty […]
