Voting papers for the next lot of referenda are long in Geneva. A total of 10 questions on seven subjects will be put to voters. In addition to the two votes on state pensions (one to spend more, one to spend less), there will be questions on a monster building development, the minimum number of […]
The four Swiss votes set for June 2024
Swiss voters will be presented with four questions on 9 June 2024, announced the administration this week. According to RTS the four votes are on two initiatives on health insurance premiums, one on laws related to green energy and one on vaccinations. The Socialist Party gathered enough signatures for a vote on its 10% initiative, […]
Two very different votes on Swiss pensions set for March
This week, the referendum roster was announced for 3 March 2023. There will two votes on Switzerland’s state pension system. One aims to tackle the impending funding crisis by extending the retirement age, and the other aims to alleviate old age poverty by increasing payments without a plan to pay for it. The first would […]
Swiss set to vote on fur and fois gras bans
It is currently illegal to produce fois gras of fur in Switzerland. However, these products can still be imported into the country. Two referenda, which recently passed the 100,000 minimum signature hurdle, are now set to be put before voters, reported RTS. Both initiatives are aimed at reducing animal cruelty. Fois gras is produced by […]
Future vote to ban fireworks gets enough signatures
Fireworks are a common festive spectacle in Switzerland. But for some their noise outweighs their benefits. This week, a group announced it had collected more than the 100,000 signatures required to launch a referendum on the subject, reported RTS. In the 18 months allowed, the group collected signatures 137,429 signatures, which it submitted to the […]
Federal election – Swiss government shifts right
The Swiss People’s Party (SVP/UDC), Switzerland’s most popular party, garnered even more votes than it did in 2019, mainly at the expense of the Green Party. On 22 October 2023, the SVP/UDC received 27.9% of votes, winning 62 of the 200 seats in Switzerland’s federal parliament. In second place was the Socialist Party, with 18.3% […]
Swiss elections – why the young are less likely to vote
This weekend Switzerland holds a federal election. However, young Swiss are less likely to go to the polls than their older compatriots. Why is this? A political scientist who spoke to SRF offers insights. Data from the last federal election four years ago show a particularly low turnout among those aged between 18-24 and 25-34. […]
Pre-election poll shows drift to right in Switzerland
The last poll before Switzerland’s federal election on 22 October 2023 shows a drift right compared to Switzerland’s federal election in 2019. The poll run by Sotomo on behalf of Switzerland’s state broadcaster between 22 September and 5 October 2023, shows clear winners and losers. Parties on the rise include the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) […]
One Swiss canton fines those who do not vote
Despite Switzerland’s legendary levels of democracy, surprisingly few vote. At the last general election in 2019 only around 45% of voters voted. To encourage voter participation the canton of Schaffhausen fines those who don’t take the time to take part in democracy, reported SRF. Across Switzerland, since 1979, more than 49% of eligible voters have […]
Switzerland has a problem with foreigners, according to nation’s largest party
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 […]
