From 1 July 2022, same sex couples will be able to marry or convert their registered partnerships into marriage, announced the Swiss government this week. The announcement on 17 November 2021 follows a popular vote on the subject on 26 September 2021 when 64.1% voted in favour same sex marriage. The new law will be […]
Initiative launched for vote to agree Swiss deal with EU
A group called Opération Libero and the Green party plan to come together to launch a referendum to require Switzerland’s federal government to sign new deal with the EU. At a meeting on 26 May 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council evaluated the results of Switzerland’s negotiations with the EU around the institutional framework agreement, an agreement […]
Support rises for Swiss Covid-19 laws as vote approaches
In Switzerland, it seems that rarely a day passes without news of a protest against some aspect of the government’s measures to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19. However, a recent poll by Tamedia suggests support is quietly growing for the Swiss government’s measures, which include Covid certificates. The survey, which was run between 28 and […]
Swiss government rejects selection of judges by lottery
This week, the Federal Council launched its campaign against a vote on 28 November 2021 to move to a system where Switzerland’s judges would be selected by lottery. The proposed system would involve randomly selecting judges from a preselected pool of qualified people. Currently, Swiss judges are elected by the Federal Assembly, the combination of […]
Swiss vote in favour of gay marriage but reject tax hike – 26 September 2021
On Sunday, 26 September 2021, legal changes made by the Swiss government to allow gay marriage were accepted by 64.10% of Swiss voters, while a majority (64.88%) rejected a plan to tax investors and company owners harder than salary earners. Majorities in all cantons voted in favour of gay marriage. The margin was slimmest in […]
Swiss to vote on gay marriage this weekend
On 26 September 2021, Swiss voters will decide whether legal amendments to allow gay marriage should be accepted. Currently, two men or two women cannot marry in Switzerland. Instead they may only enter into a legal partnership. To remove this anomaly the government agreed in 2020 to amend the civil code to allow same-sex marriage. […]
Majority of Swiss support gay marriage ahead of vote
Ahead of a vote aimed at stopping a legal amendments to allow gay marriage in Switzerland, a survey suggests a majority of Swiss voters favour the changes. According to a survey by Tamedia, 64% of the population said they plan to vote in favour of accepting the government’s amendment to Switzerland’s civil code allowing same-sex […]
New call for compulsory military service for Swiss women
This week, the Swiss Officers’ Society, a military association, announced that it was in favour of extending compulsory military service to both men and women, according to 20 Minutes. The association submitted a report, which included the recommendation to include compulsory service to women to Viola Amherd, Switzerland’s minister in charge of defense. Society president […]
Basel to become the fifth canton with a minimum wage
Over the weekend, a majority of voters in the canton of Basel-City voted in favour of a minimum wage of CHF 21 (US$ 23) an hour. The move will make Basel-City the first German-speaking Swiss canton to adopt a minimum wage, following in the footsteps of Geneva, Neuchâtel, Jura and Ticino. Until fairly recently Switzerland […]
Swiss anti-pesticide votes fail – 13 June 2021
Two referenda aiming to cut the use of pesticides on Swiss farms failed to find majorities in voting on Sunday 13 June 2021. The vote focused on clean drinking water and food failed to pass by 39.32% to 60.68%. The initiative found a majority in its favour only in the urban canton of Basel-City (58.76%) […]
