2020 Swiss referendums

February referendums

Two referendums were held on 9 February, with voters asked whether they approve of a popular initiative to increase affordable housing by promoting housing cooperatives, and an optional referendum on whether legislation preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation should be overturned or retained.[2]

The affordable housing initiative – to require 10% of new flats to be owned by housing cooperatives and abolish government subsidies for renovating luxury flats – was put forward by the national alliance of tenants' association and supported by left-leaning parties, and was approved after 106,000 signatures were submitted.[3] The vote on the anti-discrimination in respect of sexual orientation legislation was initiated by the Federal Democratic Union and the youth wing of the Swiss People's Party (Young SVP) after the legislation was approved in December 2018.[4][5] A December 2019 opinion poll showed support for the affordable housing at 66% with 30% against, while overturning the anti-discrimination legislation had the support of only 28% of voters, with 69% against.[4]

The affordable housing proposal was rejected by 57% of voters, although more than 60% voted in favour in Basel and Geneva, areas more affected by the lack of affordable housing.[6] The anti-discrimination legislation was approved by 63% of voters, with the strongest support in the canton of Vaud.[7][8]

Question For Against Invalid/
blank		 Total
votes		 Registered
voters		 Turnout Cantons for Cantons against Result
Votes % Votes % Full Half Full Half
Affordable housing963,61042.91,280,14857.134,837 2,278,908 5,467,714 41.68%41165Rejected
Retaining anti-discrimination legislation1,413,60963.1827,36136.938,366 2,279,761 41.69%Approved
Source: Federal Chancellery, Federal Chancellery

September referendums

The September vote will include three referendums were planned for May; one on the "For moderate immigration (limitation initiative)" popular initiative; one on a 2019 amendment of the federal Law on Hunting; and one on the 2019 amendment of the Federal Law on Federal Direct Tax regarding tax deductions for childcare expenses. All three were originally scheduled for 17 May' however. the Federal Council decided on 18 March to postpone them because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first cancellation of a federal referendum since 1951 when polling was postponed due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.[9][10] The referendums have been rescheduled for 27 September 2020.[11]

The immigration initiative would end the free movement of persons into Switzerland with the European Union (EU) that was initially granted under the 1999 Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. Under the agreements, citizens of the EU have the right to live and work in Switzerland and the government recognizes professional qualifications, the right to buy property and social insurance benefits.[12] The referendum, which is sponsored by the Swiss People's Party, requires that the government terminate the agreement within one year of passage. It would also bar the government from concluding any agreements that would grant the free movement of people to foreign nationals. The SVP argues that the free movement hurts older Swiss workers, who would lose their jobs to young immigrants from the EU. Opponents have argued that, because of guillotine clauses in the bilateral agreements with the EU, this would terminate the Bilateral I agreements with the EU which include provisions on the reduction of trade barriers as well as barriers in agriculture, land transport and civil aviation.[13] Most major parties in Switzerland oppose the initiative.[14]

The referendum on the federal tax allowance for children is supported by the Social Democratic Party.[15] In 2019, the Parliament approved a law to increase the income allowance for children from 6,500 to 10,000 CHF. The benefits would flow to those that pay the federal direct tax, which would include approximately 60% of families, primarily with taxable income above 100,000 CHF.[16] The total cost would be 370 million in lost revenue. The Social Democratic Party opposed the changes charging that they would benefit wealthier families.[15]

The referendum on the hunting law will decide whether changes to the law that relax protection for wolves from hunters should take effect. The changes were approved by the Federal Council and the parliament. After the reintroduction of wolves to Switzerland, packs have increased and 300 to 500 farm animals are killed by wolves each year.[17] Prior to the change, the hunting law allowed killing wolves only if they have killed more than 25 goats or sheep within one month.[18] The changes in the law would allow preemptive hunting of wolves if they are too close to herds or villages. It would also limit compensation to farmers that do not protect their herds with dogs or fences.[17] Opponents argued that killing of wolves could increase attacks on livestock as it would disintegrate packs and force young wolves to hunt for easy prey rather than big game.[18] The Green Party and the Social Democratic Party joined with animal conservation groups to oppose implementation of the new law. They submitted 65,000 valid signatures to place the measure on the ballot.[17][19]

Two additional referendums were added to the calendar; one to stop the acquisition of new fighter aircraft to replace the existing fleet of F-5's and F/A-18's and one to implement of two weeks of paternity leave that was already approved by parliament.

The fighter referendum is supported by the Group for a Switzerland Without an Army, the Social Democratic Party and the Green party after the Federal Council and the Parliament approved the purchase at a cost of 6 billion CHF.[20] The head of the Defence Department, Viola Amherd supports the purchase because the existing F-5's are more than 40 years old and fly only in good weather and the useful life of the F-18 will end in 2030.[21] The opponents have branded it as a waste of funds, especially in the current pandemic, and that air police services could be conducted with lower cost light fighters. Opponents of the acquisition submitted more than 65000 valid signatures to place the referendum on the ballot.[20]

The referendum on paternity leave is supported by elements of the Swiss People's Party (SVP). In 2019, the Parliament passed a law giving fathers two weeks of leave at 80% of gross income after the birth of a child. The leave will be paid by the Federal Social Insurance office and will be funded by contributions from both workers and employees at an estimated cost of 230 million CHF annually.[22] Switzerland has been the only country in Europe without paternity leave. Susanne Brunner and Diana Gutjahr of the People's Party advocated for the referendum and worked to collect the necessary 50,000 signatures to oppose what they consider to be additional interference in the labor market and a burden on employers from additional costs and taxes.[23] Supporters include the Social Democrats, Greens, the Christian Democratic Party, the Green Liberals and the Conservative Democratic Party. The national SVP is opposed; however, some sections of the SVP support paternity leave.[22] FDP.The Liberals supported paternity leave in parliament but did not endorse a side in the referendum.[24][22]

November referendums

Two referendums are scheduled for 29 November, both of which are popular initiatives: "Responsible companies – to protect human beings and the environment" and "For a ban on financing producers of war material".[25]

gollark: Quark and stuff.
gollark: How can you just not spell with all the convenient autospellcheck mechanisms around today?
gollark: This is NOT permissible.
gollark: Legally.
gollark: Pizzas are permitted. However, if my appearance was that of a pizza, which it is not, you would not be able to know what they looked like.

References
  1. Dates des votations des 20 prochaines années Federal Chancellery
  2. Vote 9 February 2020 SwissInfo
  3. Tenants force vote to curb pricey rents SwissInfo, 18 October 2016
  4. Poll finds tighter anti-homophobia rules have broad support SwissInfo, 20 December 2019
  5. Why one party is opposing the criminalisation of homophobia SwissInfo, 10 January 2019
  6. Voters reject ‘affordable housing’ initiative SwissInfo, 9 February 2020
  7. Swiss roundly back protection against LGB discrimination SwissInfo, 9 February 2020
  8. Oltermann, Philip (February 9, 2020). "Swiss vote to approve legislation to protect LGBTQ+ rights". The Guardian.
  9. "Coronavirus : La votation populaire fédérale du 17 mai 2020 n’aura pas lieu " Federal Council, 18 March 2020
  10. "Virus forces delay of vote on EU free movement deal". Swissinfo. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  11. "Swiss direct democracy to resume in September with packed agenda". Swissinfo. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  12. "Free Movement of Persons Switzerland – EU/EFTA". State Secretariat for Migration. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  13. "«Gegen Personenfreizügigkeit»: SVP lanciert die Kampagne" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-08-11.
  14. "Komitee präsentiert Argumente gegen Begrenzungsinitiative" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-06-30.
  15. "Avenir Suisse unterstützt SP im Kampf gegen Steuervorteile" (in German). 2020-02-05.
  16. "Bundesrat wirbt für Erhöhung der Kinderabzüge" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-07-03.
  17. "Bundesrat hält Jagdgesetz für «guten Kompromiss»" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-02-27.
  18. "Das sind die wichtigsten Argumente der Befürworter und Gegner" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-07-25.
  19. "65'000 Unterschriften gegen revidiertes Jagdgesetz" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-01-13.
  20. "Fast 90'000 Unterschriften: Kampfjet-Gegner reichen Referendum ein". Aargauer Zeitung (in German). 2020-06-17.
  21. "Neue Kampfjets sind für Viola Amherd unverzichtbar" (in German). Swiss Radio and Television. 2020-06-26.
  22. "Vaterschaftsurlaub: die Vorlage auf einen Blick". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 2020-08-10.
  23. "Volk entscheidet wohl über «Papizeit»". Tages Anzeiger (in German). 2020-06-15.
  24. "Zuerst ja, dann nein, schliesslich weder noch: FDP beschliesst Stimmfreigabe zum Vaterschaftsurlaub". Aargauer Zeitung (in German). 2020-08-14.
  25. "Objects of the popular vote of November 29, 2020". Swiss Federal Council. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020. (in French)
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