2013 Swiss referendums

Last updated

Eleven national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2013. Voters approved six proposals related to spatial planning, executive pay, family policy, amendments to the laws on asylum and epidemics and an increase in the length of petrol station shop opening hours. The other five proposals on directly electing the Federal Council, abolishing compulsory military service, limiting salaries in a company to 12 times the lowest paid worker, tax credits for stay-at-home parents and an increase in road tax were rejected.

Contents

March referendums

The first three national referendums in 2013 were held on 3 March, with voters asked whether they supported a federal order on family policy, an amendment to the federal law on spatial planning, [1] and a popular initiative on executive pay that would introduce binding shareholder votes on salary levels, [2] as well as banning golden hellos for new employees and golden parachutes for departing staff. [3] The family policy question was approved by a majority of voters, but rejected by a majority of cantons. [4] The planning question was approved by a majority of voters and did not require a cantonal majority. [5] The executive pay initiative was approved by around two-thirds of voters and all cantons. [6]

Proposals

Family policy

On 15 June 2012 a federal order was passed on family planning. It would make an amendment to the Swiss Constitution requiring the federal government to work with cantonal governments to promote work–life balance and improve the provision of day care, as well as ensuring the needs of families are considered in government policies. [1]

Planning

On 15 June 2012 an amendment to the federal law on spatial planning was passed, which limited the amount of land available to communities for development purposes to that equivalent needed for the next fifteen years. It also introduced a 20% tax rate on land transactions for owners of land for development. [1]

Executive pay

The proposals were conceived by Thomas Minder, who launched a campaign in 2008 following significant losses at UBS, which were blamed on a bonus culture leading to excessive risk-taking by managers. [3] They would amend legislation to: [7]

  • require an annual vote by shareholders for the president and other members of the management board of directors, members of the remuneration committee, and any advisory board and executive officers of the organisation.
  • require the articles of association to include bonus schemes and pay plans for directors and executive officers, any loans granted to such employees, the number of mandates outside the organisation, and the duration of employment contracts of executive officers.
  • ban advance and severance packages.
  • ban corporate proxy and the representation of shareholders by depository banks.
  • require pension funds to disclose the way it votes, and to vote in the interests of pension policyholders.

Polls in January 2013 suggested that a majority was in favour of the proposals, [3] although they were opposed by the Economiesuisse business lobby and the Swiss government. [3] [8] Supporters of the initiative spent 200,000 Swiss Francs, while opponents spent 8 million Swiss Francs in their campaign to block reform. [9] [10]

Electoral system

Eleven cantons allowed overseas voters to vote online after the Federal Council approved the method in December 2012. [11]

Results

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/
blank
Total
votes
Registered
voters
TurnoutCantons forCantons againstResult
Votes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalf
Family policy1,283,95154.351,078,53145.6549,6132,412,0955,174,68046.6192114Rejected
Planning1,476,94262.89871,51437.1158,3312,406,78746.51Accepted
Executive pay1,616,18467.96761,97532.0440,6662,418,82546.7420600Accepted
Source: Direct Democracy

June referendums

Two referendums were held on 9 June on a popular initiative on introducing direct elections to the Federal Council, and on amendments to the Asylum Act. [12]

Proposals

Asylum law amendments

The changes to the Asylum Law would give the Federal government increased powers to speed up the process. It would also abolish the right to apply for asylum at Swiss embassies overseas, as well as excluding conscientious objectors and deserters from applying. [13]

The proposals were opposed by left-wing parties, trade unions, human rights groups and church groups. Prior to the referendum, opinion polls showed support for the proposals at 57%. [13] The changes to the law were ultimately approved by almost 80% of voters. [14]

Direct election of the Federal Council

The proposal for direct election of the Federal Council, which would involve amending the Swiss Federal Constitution, was put forward by the Swiss People's Party. Opinion polls in late May showed 66% of voters opposed. [13] The proposal was ultimately rejected by 76% of voters. [15]

Results

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/
blank
Total
votes
Registered
voters
TurnoutCantons forCantons againstResult
Votes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalf
Asylum law1,573,00778.45432,17421.5538,9112,044,0925,184,42639.43Accepted
Federal Council480,29123.661,550,08076.3418,2932,048,66439.5200206Rejected
Source: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland

September referendums

Three federal referendums were held on 22 September 2013. [16] The abolition of compulsory military service was rejected, whilst an amendment to epidemia law and an increase in the opening hours of petrol station shops were both approved.

Results

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/
blank
Total
votes
Registered
voters
TurnoutCantons forCantons againstResult
Votes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalf
Abolition of compulsory military service644,98526.81,762,81173.232,7402,440,5365,194,15047.000206Rejected
Amendment to the epidemia law1,395,60759.0968,07841.065,3022,428,98746.76Accepted
Increase petrol station shop opening hours1,345,66256.71,025,81743.357,9562,429,43546.77Accepted
Source: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland

November referendums

Three referendums were held on 24 November on a proposed increase in road tax, [17] limiting the highest salary in a company to twelve times the lowest salary, [18] and tax credits for stay-at-home parents. [19] All three were rejected by voters.

Results

QuestionForAgainstInvalid/
blank
Total
votes
Registered
voters
TurnoutCantons forCantons againstResult
Votes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalf
Salary capping using the 1:12 ratio954,78734.71,796,93065.339,3652,791,0825,203,97353.6300206Rejected
Tax credits for stay-at-home parents1,139,67041.51,604,49158.544,5642,788,72553.5921185Rejected
Increase in road tax1,087,36839.51,662,74860.539,9352,790,05153.61Rejected
Source: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popular initiative</span> Popular voter petition systems

A popular initiative is a form of direct democracy by which a petition meeting certain hurdles can force a legal procedure on a proposition.

Voting in Switzerland is the process by which Swiss citizens make decisions about governance and elect officials. The history of voting rights in Switzerland mirrors the complexity of the nation itself. The polling stations are opened on Saturdays and Sunday mornings but most people vote by post in advance. At noon on Sunday, voting ends and the results are usually known during the afternoon.

Ten referendums were held in Switzerland during 2008. The first two were held on 24 February on business tax reform and aircraft noise. A further three were held on 1 June on public information campaigns, naturalisation and health reform. The final five were held on 30 November on legalising cannabis, making the pension age flexible, restricting the right of appeal of associations against construction projects, amending the constitutional article on narcotics and eliminating the statute of limitations with respect to pornographic crimes against children.

Eight referendums were held in Switzerland during 2009. The first was held on 8 February on extending the freedom of movement for workers from Bulgaria and Romania. The next two were held on 17 May 2009 on introducing biometric passports and the "Future with complementary medicine" proposal. A further two were held on 27 September on increasing VAT and the introduction of public initiatives. The final three were held on 29 November on banning the construction of new minarets, exporting weapons and the use of aviation fuel taxation.

Six referendums were held in Switzerland during 2010; three in March on pension funds, animal protection and a constitutional amendment, one in September on unemployment benefits, and two in November on deporting foreign criminals and introducing a canton tax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Swiss gun control initiative</span> 2011 referendum

A referendum was held in Switzerland on 13 February 2011 on the federal popular initiative "For the protection against gun violence". It was rejected by 56% of voters and a majority of cantons.

Twelve national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2012. On 11 March voters across the country were asked five questions on employment leave, second houses, building society savings, the Fixed Book Price Agreement and gambling revenues. On 17 June there were three questions on healthcare, foreign policy and home buying. On 23 September there were three on a smoking ban, secure housing in old age and music lessons at school. A final referendum was held on 25 November on the Animal Diseases Act.

A four-part referendum was held in Switzerland on 11 May 1884. All four were rejected by voters.

Five referendums were held in Switzerland in 1891. The first was held on 15 March on a federal law on federal officials who had become unemployable due to disability, and was rejected by 79.4% of voters. The second was held on 5 July on a constitutional amendment, and was approved by 60.3% of voters. Two referendums were held on 18 October, one on revising article 39 of the federal constitution and one on a federal law on Swiss tariffs; both were approved. The last was held on 6 December on the question of whether the federal government should purchase the Swiss Central Railway, but was rejected by 68.9% of voters.

A referendum on federal salaries was held in Switzerland on 28 May 1933. Voters were asked whether they approved of a federal law that would lower the salaries of federal officials on a temporary basis. The proposal was rejected by 55.1% of voters.

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.

Five referendums were held in Switzerland during 1929. The first three were held on 3 March on the issues of grain supply and a federal law on tariffs. The counter-proposal to the grain supply question and the tariffs law were both approved. The fourth and fifth referendums were held on 12 May on popular initiatives on road traffic and banning spirits. Both were rejected by voters.

Six referendums were held in Switzerland during 1938. The first four were held on 20 February; the first on amending articles 107 and 116 of the constitution to make Romansch an official language, which was approved by over 90% of voters and all cantons. The second was on a popular initiative "on urgent federal resolutions and the protection of people's rights" and was rejected by 85% of voters. The third was on a popular initiative on the private arms industry, and was also rejected by a wide margin, whilst the fourth was on a counter-proposal to the arms industry question, and was approved by voters. The fifth referendum was held on 3 July on the penal code, and was approved. The sixth and final referendum of the year was held on 27 November on a federal resolution on the transient order of the federal budget, and was approved by 72% of 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popular initiative in Switzerland</span> Law suggested by the people of Switzerland

A popular initiative allows people to suggest laws on a national, cantonal, and municipal level.

Twelve national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Swiss immigration initiative</span> Referendum in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the federal popular initiative "against mass immigration" was a referendum that aimed to limit immigration through quotas, as it had been prior to the bilateral treaties between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) launched in 2002.

Thirteen national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2016.

Several federal referendums were held in Switzerland in 2020, with voting on 9 February, 27 September and 29 November. Voting was also planned for 17 May, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal referendums were held in Switzerland on 7 March, 13 June, 26 September, and 28 November 2021. Swiss referendums take three forms: popular initiatives, which are citizen proposals to create a new law and require 100,000 valid signatures on a petition to get on the ballot; facultative or optional referendums, which are citizen proposals to approve or reject a piece of existing law and require 50,000 valid signatures on a petition to get on the ballot; and mandatory referendums, which are required to revise the constitution, join an international organisation or introduce emergency federal legislation for over a year.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Election Profile IFES
  2. Swiss edge towards binding vote Archived 2013-10-02 at the Wayback Machine PIRC
  3. 1 2 3 4 Majority of Swiss back "fat cat" pay curbs - poll Reuters, 13 January 2013
  4. Switzerland, 3 March 2013: Family politics Direct Democracy (in German)
  5. Switzerland, 3 March 2013: Spatial planning law Direct Democracy (in German)
  6. Swiss referendum backs executive pay curbs BBC News, 3 March 2013
  7. Say-on-pay Deloitte, 19 July 2012
  8. Swiss government says proposed "fat cat" curbs go too far Reuters, 18 December 2012
  9. Peer Teuwsen (24 January 2013), "Initiative gegen "Abzocker": Minders Kampf", Die Zeit (in German), no. 5
  10. Andreas Fagetti (31 January 2013), "Eine Watsche für die da oben", WOZ Die Wochenzeitung (in German), no. 5
  11. CH: 11 cantons enable their voters residing abroad to vote online in March 2013 Global Centre for ICT in Parliament
  12. Election Profile IFES
  13. 1 2 3 Asylum and cabinet reforms set for clear verdict Swiss Info, 29 May 2013
  14. Swiss back tighter asylum rules BBC News, 9 June 2013
  15. Vorlage Nr. 570 Übersicht Swiss Confederation
  16. Referendums on 22 September 2013 Archived 6 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Swiss Parliament, 28 June 2013 (in German)
  17. Voters to decide on road tax hike in November The Local, 12 July 2013
  18. Swiss divided as 1:12 executive pay referendum nears The Guardian, 14 November 2013
  19. Swiss Confederation Referendum IFES