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Voters set to shun ‘Swiss law first’ initiative: poll

Over 60 percent of Swiss voters plan to vote against the right-wing 'Swiss law not foreign judges' initiative on November 25th, according to a new poll.

Published: 14 November 2018 09:01 CET

Voters set to shun 'Swiss law first' initiative: poll

Members of the Swiss People's Party youth wing protest in favour of the 'Swiss law first' initiative in October. Photo: AFP

A total of 61 percent of people said they were “definitely against” or “against” the controversial initiative which would see Swiss law given priority of international law, according to the latest survey by gfs.bern and carried out in the first week of November.

That is six percentage points higher than the last gfs.bern poll from mid-October.

Read also: What you need to know about the 'Swiss law first' initiative

Meanwhile, the number of people who are either “definitely for” or “for” the initiative has fallen from 39 percent to 37 percent in the same period.

The 'Swiss law not foreign judges' initiative, also known as the ‘self-determination' initiative' (SDI) is backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP).

With the initiative, the SVP wants the role of international law in Switzerland to be greatly reduced so that the country has more control over its own affairs.

The SVP has heavily criticised the Swiss government in recent years for failing to properly implement popular initiatives such as one against mass immigration, which was backed by voters in 2014. Despite voters backing that initiative, Bern implement a watered-down version because it would have contravened Switzerland's free movement agreement with the EU.

The SVP says the current initiative is essential to protect's Switzerland's unique system of political democracy and ensure voters's wishes are respected.

But opponents say the initiative would threaten human rights in Switzerland and create chaos in terms of Switzerland's international relations.

Under the terms of the SDI, Switzerland would be required to apply a strict mechanism to deal with conflicts between international law and the Swiss constitution. This would happen, for example, in cases where voters cast their ballots in favour of popular initiatives that contravene international law.

In such cases, Switzerland would have to try and renegotiate international treaties, and if this is not possible, it would have to pull out of them.

Read also: How Switzerland's direct democracy system works

From Zurich to Basel: What's at stake in Switzerland's cantonal referendums?

In the third round of four referendums scheduled for 2024 (the last one will be held on November 24th), Swiss citizens will vote on September 22nd on two issues of national importance — the second-pillar pension reform and the ‘biodiversity initiative,” both of which are explained here:

READ ALSO: What’s at stake in Switzerland’s federal referendums on September 22nd?

In addition to these two national issues, some cantons will hold their own referendums as well.

Let’s start with Zurich

Foreigners who have been temporarily admitted to Switzerland are people whose asylum application has been rejected.

However, they can’t be deported because, for instance, there is a war in their country of origin.

In the canton of Zurich, according to current law, they can only receive training grants once they have lived in Switzerland for five years.

On Sunday, voters will have to decide on whether cantonal authorities should to do away with this waiting period.

Geneva: Teacher training

Currently, primary school teacher training in Geneva is the only one that lasts four years, compared to three years in the other cantons.

This situation has caused an ‘exodus’ of sorts: the number of Geneva teachers trained in the neighbouring canton of Vaud has increased sevenfold in 10 years; in fact, 40 percent of teachers hired for Geneva schools received their diploma in Vaud.

Voters will have to weigh in on whether Geneva should align the duration of its training with other cantons.

Lucerne: Taxes

The revision of the tax law is intended to maintain the canton’s fiscal attractiveness.

Lucerne is continuing its previous financial and tax policy to position itself favourably vis-à-vis other cantons.

The focus of the tax law revision is a series of measures from which all taxpayers — individuals, families, and businesses — will benefit equally, for instance, by implementing new social and higher child deductions.

This move is aimed at relieving the burden on low-income residents.

The goal of this reform, on which the people will vote, is to prevent companies from moving out of the canton of Lucerne, while attracting new ones to move in.

Fribourg: Supplementary benefits

Fribourg voters are called upon to decide on the bill concerning supplementary benefits for families.

This law aims to support low-income households by offering a series of benefits to promote financial, social, and professional independence..

If accepted, the new policy will complement the system already in place, by supporting the approximately 1,500 families particularly affected by poverty in the canton.

Bern / Jura: Terms of the transfer of Moutier

On March 28th, 2021, the voters of the Bern town of Moutier voted in favour of their municipality switching to the canton of Jura.

The cantons of Bern and Jura regulate this change in an agreement called ‘concordat.’

On September 22nd, the voters of the two cantons will decide on this concordat, setting out the terms for the change in Moutier’s cantonal affiliation.

Basel-Country: Health Act

Citizens will vote on a partial revision of the Health Act, which concerns the authorisation of service providers to work at the expense of compulsory health insurance (KVC/LaMal) — specifically concerning outpatients.

The outpatient authorisation control for doctors is a mandate based on a federal law.

For the corresponding measure in Basel-Country from July 1st, 2025, it is necessary to create a legal basis, hence the vote.

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