It’s been a busy week for Swiss democracy. First the Swiss voted on 3 crucial initiatives, all of which were brought to a vote based on “iniziativa popolare”, proposals which gathered the necessary 100,000 signatures enabling them to be put forward for a popular vote. The initiative that got the most attention was the Ecopop one called “Stop to Overpopulation-yes to a natural basis of life”. This was put forward by an environmental group and aimed to limit immigration to 2%, which would mean about 16,000 annually. The current immigration figures are around 80,000 annually – a number which had spurred the acceptance of the immigration quotas voted on in February, which I wrote about previously. These new immigration quotas, being worked on now, threw Switzerland’s bilateral agreements with the EU more or less out the window, as the free movement of people is a key EU tenet. Another more restrictive vote would have closed the door completely. Thank heavens it was turned down by 74.1% of the voters. Even Ticino, which voted in favor of the February initiative by 68%, turned it down with a 63% majority. We also voted against an initiative,by 77%, which would have required the Swiss National Bank to hold 20% of its reserves in gold, prohibiting its sale and requiring that it be physically held in Switzerland. In a closer vote, the third initiative to stop lump sum tax treatment for wealthy foreigners was rejected by nearly 60% of voters. Zurich, for example, voted for it by 49% and against it by 50.9%. The initiative’s failure to win approval was hailed as an affirmation of Switzerland’s strong Federalist system of government, as it retained the cantons’ individual autonomy in setting their tax structures.

I never tire of admiring Switzerland’s direct democracy. For every scheduled vote, Switzerland sends out to every voter a booklet, depending on the region either in French, German or Italian, describing each proposal in detail with the pro and con of every issue outlined, along with the Government’s position on the issue. An additional information booklet is distributed to younger voters by the Youth Parliament’s Easy Vote, which also provides a link for video instruction. I found it fascinating and illustrative that the Ecopop initiative had been rejected in the National Council by a vote of 190 to 3, with 5 abstentions, and rejected in the State Council by a vote of 44 to 1, with no abstentions and still was able to be brought up before the general population for a vote. Naturally, the Government’s recommendation was to reject the initiative.

Then two days after the vote, another popular initiative was launched to reverse the immigration vote of February. The group behind it, called “Raus aus der Sackgasse” RASA, – Out of the Dead-End – wants to reverse the decision to introduce immigration quotas. Their action is based on the consequences that Switzerland is suffering as a result of the vote from the EU. Swiss researchers are no longer able to participate in key EU research programs; Swiss students now are locked out of the Erasmus student exchange program. And that is only the start. RASA’s supporters include notable figures from across Switzerland, such as the arts figures Pipilotti Rist and Dimitri, law professor Thomas Geiser and Economics Professor as well as Vice-Rector of the University of Geneva Yves Flueckiger. RASA now has to start gathering the essential 100,000 signatures.

Then on Wednesday, Switzerland’s Parliament voted in our new President, Simonetta Sommaruga, the Justice Minister. Granted, the Presidency is a one year, rotating position, and it’s basically a matter of waiting your turn once you are part of the 7-member cabinet. However, if you stay long enough, you might be President twice. President Sommaruga is a tough, smart woman. She is pragmatic and caring. She received 181 votes out of 210, considered to be an excellent result. I hope she will be part of the government for many years to come.