Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1903. The first was held on 15 March on a federal law on tariffs, and was approved by 59.6% of voters. The second, third and fourth were all held on 25 October concerning an amendment to the federal criminal law, a popular initiative on Swiss residents electing the National Council and an amendment to article 32bis of the constitution. All three were rejected by voters.
Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1939. The first two were held on 22 January on a popular initiative on civil rights and a federal resolution on the restricted use of the urgency clause in the constitution. The third was held on 4 June on a constitutional amendment regarding the funding for government policies on defence and unemployment, and was approved by voters. The fourth was held on 3 December on a federal law on the employment status and insurance for federal civil servants, and was rejected by voters.
Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1949. The first two were held on 22 May on revising article 39 of the federal constitution concerning the Swiss National Bank and a federal law amending a 1928 law on measures against tuberculosis, with both rejected by voters. The third was held on 11 September on a popular initiative "for the recurrence to direct democracy" and was narrowly approved. The final one was held on 11 December on a federal law to amend the employment status of federal civil servants, and was also approved.
Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1957. The first two were held on 3 March on a federal resolutions on introducing two new articles to the federal constitution; 22bis concerning civil protection and 36bis on radio and television. Both were rejected. The third and fourth were held on 24 November on introducing another article to the constitution and a federal resolution on prolonging the federal breadstuffs law. Both were approved.
Four referendums were held in Switzerland in 1962. The first was held on 1 April on a popular initiative to ban nuclear weapons, and was rejected by 65% of voters. The second and third were held on 27 May on an amendment to the constitution regarding nature conservation and a federal law amending pay at the federal level. The constitutional amendment was approved, but the law on pay was rejected. The final referendum was held on 4 November on another constitutional amendment on the method of election of the National Council, and was approved by voters.
Ten referendums were held in Switzerland in 1976. The first two were held on 21 March on popular initiatives "for employees' participation", and "for taxation reform". The next three were held on 13 June on a federal law on spatial planning (rejected), a CHF 200 million loan to the International Development Association (rejected), and renewing unemployment insurance (approved).
Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1977. The first three were held on 13 March on popular initiatives on foreign infiltration, limiting naturalisation and changing the rules on referendums on treaties. All three were rejected, whilst the counter-proposal was approved. The next two were held on 12 June on changes to sales tax and direct federal taxation (rejected) and on tax harmonisation (approved).
Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1978. The first four were held on 26 February on a popular initiative "for more co-decisions of the Federal Assembly and the People on national road making" (rejected), an amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance (approved), a popular initiative to lower the retirement age (rejected) and amending the article on the economic cycle in the Swiss Federal Constitution (approved). The next five referendums were held on 28 May on a law on time (rejected), an amendment to the tariff law (approved), a new federal law banning abortion (rejected), a federal law on promoting research and universities (rejected) and a popular initiative "for 12 Sundays a year free from motor vehicles" (rejected).
Six referendums were held in Switzerland in 1979. The first four were held on 18 February on reducing the voting age to 18 (rejected), a popular initiative "for the promotion of footpaths and hiking trails" (approved), "against advertising for addictive drugs" (rejected) and "for ensuring people's rights and the security of nuclear power installations" (rejected).
Ten referendums were held in Switzerland in 1984. The first three were held on 26 February on introducing tolls for HGVs (approved), introducing tolls for national routes (approved) and a popular initiative "for a real civilian service based on a proof through demonstration" (rejected). The next two were held on 20 May on popular initiatives "against the abuse of bank client confidentiality and bank power" (rejected) and "against the sellout of the homeland" (rejected).
Eleven referendums were held in Switzerland during 2001. The first three were held on 4 March on popular initiatives on joining the European Union, lowering medicine prices and lowering the urban speed limit to 30 km/h in most places. All three were rejected by voters. The next three referendums were held on 10 June on two separate amendments to the federal law on the Swiss army and on a federal resolution on abolishing the requirement for a permit to establish a diocese, all of which were approved.
Ten referendums were held in Switzerland in 1990. The first six were held on 1 April on four popular initiatives, a federal resolution on viticulture and an amendment to the federal law on the organisation of the federal judiciary. The four popular initiatives were all related to roadbuilding; "Stop the concrete – for a limitation on road making," "for an autobahn-free countryside between Murten and Yverdon," "for an autobahn-free Knonauer Amt," and "for a free Aarelandschaft between Biel and Solothurn/Zuchwil." All six were rejected by voters.
Fifteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 1992. The first two were held on 16 February on popular initiatives "for a financially bearable health insurance" and "for the drastic and stepwise limitation of animal experiments." Both were rejected by voters. The next seven were held on 17 May on joining and contributing to the Bretton Woods system, a federal law on water protection (approved), a popular initiative "for the recovery of our waters" (rejected), a federal resolution on the popular initiative "against the malpractice of gene technology on humans" (approved), a federal resolution on creating a civilian service alternative to military service (approved) and a change to the Strafgesetzbuch and the Military and Penal Codes on sexual integrity (approved).
Sixteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 1993. The first three were held on 7 March on a federal law to raise fuel taxes (approved), a federal resolution on lifting the ban on gambling establishments (approved) and a popular initiative on banning animal testing (rejected). The next two were held on 6 June on two popular initiatives; "40 military training areas are enough–environment projection at military" and "for a Switzerland without new warplanes". Both were rejected by voters.
Thirteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 2004. The first three were held on 8 February on a counter proposal to the popular initiative "for safe and efficient motorways" (rejected), an amendment to the Obligations (tenancy) law (rejected) and a popular initiative "life-long custody for non-curable, extremely dangerous sexual and violent criminals" (approved). The second set of three was held on 16 May on a revision of the federal law on Aged and Bereaved insurance, a federal resolution on financing the Aged and Bereaved insurance, and a federal law that would affect taxation for married couples, families, private housing and stamp duty, all of which were rejected.
Thirteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 1994. The first five were held on 20 February on federal resolutions on roadbuilding, continuing existing truck tolls and varying tolls based on engine power or mileage, as well as a popular initiative "for the protection of the alpine region from through traffic" and an amendment to the aeronautical law. All five were approved by voters. The second set of referendums was held on 12 June on federal resolutions on an article on the Swiss Federal Constitution on the promotion of culture and a review of the procedure for naturalising young immigrants, as well as a federal law on Swiss troops in peacekeeping operations. Whilst the resolutions were both approved by a majority of voters, they did not receive the approval from the majority of cantons, so were rejected, as was the law on troops.
Nine referendums were held in Switzerland during 1996. The first five were held on 10 March on revising article 116 of the Swiss Federal Constitution regarding language, abolishing the cantons' responsibilities for providing army equipment, abolishing the federal requirement to purchase distilling equipment, abolishing federal financing of parking areas at rail stations, and whether municipality of Vellerat should become part of the canton of Jura. All proposals except the one regarding army equipment were approved.
Ten referendums were held in Switzerland during 1998. The first three were held on 7 June on a federal resolution on a balanced budget and two popular initiatives "for the protection of life and environment against genetic engineering " and "Switzerland without secret police". Whilst the balanced budget proposal was approved, both popular initiatives were rejected by voters. The next three referendums were held on 27 September on a federal law on truck tolls based on engine size and two popular initiatives "for well-priced foodstuffs and ecological farms" and "10th revision of the Aged and Bereaved Insurance without raising the retirement age". Whilst the toll law was approved, both initiatives were rejected.
Fifteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 2000. The first five were held on 12 March on reforming the judiciary and four popular initiatives; "for speeding up direct democracy ", "for a just representation of women in federal authorities", "for the protection of men against manipulations in procreation technology" and one to reduce motorised road by 50%. Whilst the judiciary reform was approved, all four popular initiatives were rejected. The next referendum was held on 21 May to authorise sectoral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, and was approved by around two-thirds of voters.
Events in the year 1990 in Switzerland.
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