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Less protection for wolves in Switzerland, a minimum wage in the canton of Geneva, a football stadium for Zurich? Here we show you the most important decisions made on Sunday at the federal, cantonal and communal levels in a continuously updated summary.
After a Corona break, Swiss voters are called back to the polls.
Limitation initiative
The aim of the initiative is to end the free movement of people in the European Union. The Federal Council should negotiate with the EU to ensure that the agreement on the free movement of persons is mutually repealed within 12 months. If this is unsuccessful, the Federal Council must rescind the agreement within another 30 days. Furthermore, the Swiss government is no longer authorized to enter into new agreements that grant freedom of movement to foreigners.
Hunting law
With the revision of the hunting law, among other things, the protection of the wolf is relaxed. Although it is still one of the protected species, it is now part of the category of “regulated protected species”. This allows the cantons to intervene in a preventive manner in the wolf population, even if the animals have not yet caused any damage. In addition to the wolf, with the revision of the Hunting Law, the ibex is now also included as an adjustable species. Other animal species such as beavers, lynxes, bears, otters, gray herons and goosander remain strictly protected. However, with the revision, the Federal Council has the authority to designate these and other protected species as regulable if necessary.
The nature and environment protection associations held a referendum against the review. The 50,000 necessary signatures were gathered in a very short time, so that finally the staff reached the people.
Children’s prints
The goal of the law amendment is that families will have to pay less federal taxes in the future thanks to higher tax deductions. The general deduction per child will be increased from 6,500 to 10,000 francs. Families who have their children cared for in a nursery or nursery should also be able to deduct a maximum of CHF 25,000 instead of the previous CHF 10,100. Higher-income households in particular would benefit from the change in the law. Still, more than 40 percent of families pay no federal tax.
Due to the increase in the general child allowance, a referendum was called against the bill. The SP, the Greens and the Liberal Greens reject the change of law. SVP, CVP and FDP support them. The latter made a U-turn.
Paternity leave
The aim of the proposal is to introduce a two-week paternity leave. Parliament approved the proposal in autumn 2019 with a clear majority. It was a response to the popular initiative “For a reasonable paternity leave – for the benefit of the whole family”, which had demanded paternity leave of four weeks instead of two weeks. However, the initiators withdrew their application after Parliament’s decision.
War planes
The Federal Council wants to reserve 6 billion francs from the regular army budget for new combat aircraft through a planning resolution. Parliament stipulated that the bidder who won the contract had to offset 60 percent of the contract value with orders in the form of so-called Swiss offsets. The group for a Switzerland without an army (GSoA), the SP and other left-wing forces launched a referendum against the planning decision.
GE: minimum wage
A popular initiative for a minimum wage of CHF 23 per hour is being voted in the canton of Geneva. With a 41-hour week that would correspond to a monthly salary of 4,086 francs. Basically the amount should apply to all industries. Exceptions are foreseen for young people in training and for agriculture.
LU: Pre-rental transparency
Lucerne voters decide by popular initiative of the tenant association. You want to force owners to announce the previous rental on a form when concluding a rental agreement and justify any increase (required form). This is intended to combat excessive rents. This form requirement would only exist if the vacancy rate was 1.5 percent or less.
Zurich football stadium
A football stadium for 18,000 spectators, a cooperative housing estate with 174 apartments and two high-rise buildings with 570 apartments are planned in the mid-price segment in Zurich-West. In November 2018, the privately funded “Ensemble” project was voted. 53.8 percent said yes to an accounting transfer of two properties from financial assets to administrative assets. The second vote on the identical project is necessary because IG Freiräume Zürich-West has held a referendum against the design plan.
