Votes March 2021: the most important results

Was the vote lost on Sunday? No problem! These are the 7 most important points

A slap in the face for the Federal Council, a triumph for the SVP and almost a comeback in Geneva: despite Corona, the waves rose on the Sunday of the vote. The summary of the most important results.

Switzerland bans burqas

The Swiss people vote 51.2 percent Yes to the initiative “Yes to the prohibition of the veil”. The “Egerkinger Committee” celebrates another success after the minaret initiative. Very close, however.

For comparison: in 2009, nearly 58 percent of the highly controversial ban on minarets voted in favor of the anti-Islam bill.

The burqa initiative was rejected in six cantons (ZH / BE / BS / GE / AR / GR). With the yes to the initiative, dress codes are now being written into the federal constitution for the first time.

The winner of the day is the SVP National Council. Walter Wobmann, the head of the initiative. “This is a wise decision by the Swiss people,” Wobmann said. Now Switzerland can set clear rules on how to show its face in public.

E-ID removal

64.4 percent no to E-IDSwiss voters do not want an electronic ID issued by private providers and simply controlled by the state. For him Federal Council, the result is a resounding slap in the face.

Both supporters and opponents of E-ID agree on one point: Despite the no, we must promote digitizationso that a relatively quick and workable solution can be found that people can trust. However, it is not known how this should be done. “Now the door has been opened to a sustainable solution,” says Balthasar Glättli, President of the Greens.

Why was the result so clear? “The E-ID failed due to the sum total of technological fears, security concerns, corporate criticism and, above all, doubts about profits”According to an initial analysis by the research institute Gfs Bern.

Yes to free trade with Indonesia

Palm oil Or not: voters in Switzerland have a voice 51.7 Yes to the free trade agreement with Indonesia. The Röstigraben appears once again: while almost all the German-speaking cantons and Ticino said yes, western Switzerland rejected the agreement, in some cases strongly.

The red-green field, together with the referendum committee, can boast of respectable success. “The high non-participation must be weighed,” he said. Christine Badertscher, National Councilor for the Greens. The adjusted result shows that it is necessary to invest in sustainability. The Greens want to emphasize this with political demands.

Indonesia is the world’s largest palm oil producer. The controversial palm oil in this country was at the center of the debate on the free trade agreement between the Efta states and the Southeast Asian country.

Pierre Maudet remains in the race

In Geneva, the recently convicted Pierre Maudet Caused surprise with second place in the first round of the alternate elections. I was way ahead of that FDP Candidate Cyril Aellenwho later withdrew from the State Council election. Now it is about the confrontation in the second vote, which will take place on March 28. The SP-backed Green candidate Fabienne Fischer is clearly in the lead with 36,237 votes.

In second place with 28,029 votes, Maudet reaped the fruits of a committed campaign in which he focused mainly on companies affected by the health crisis. His sentence In the first instance, due to the acceptance of benefits in connection with his luxury trip to Abu Dhabi, he almost did 22 percent of voters not discouraged.

Bern has access to a new train station and a new festival hall

Good news for all travelers: the city Bern You can fuel the expansion of the Bern train station with a series of construction and traffic measures. After an emotional voting battle, voters said with 58 percent Yes to the credit of 112 million francs.

Switzerland’s second largest train station is bursting. This is why expansion work has been carried out in Bern for years. Now an additional access to the train station is being created at Bubenbergplatz. “I am glad that the city of Bern can now do its part to ensure that the new train station works,” said the councilor. Marieke kruit (SP).

New concert hall in Bern

Also, with 51 percent, the people of Bern were in favor of a new festival hall on the Bea Expo grounds. The city and canton now contribute 15 million francs each to the 90 million project.

With the new room for 9,000 guests, major concerts, musicals, sporting events and television broadcasts, as well as art exhibitions, congresses and assemblies, should once again be possible in Bern.

Zurich says yes to social detectives

Surprisingly, Zurich says yes to the Social Welfare Law, which regulates how Social detectives allowed to work. About 68 percent of the Zurich electorate say yes to the changes to the Social Welfare Law. Under the new rules, observations by welfare recipients are only allowed with the approval of the district council. Home visits must also be registered in advance.

Government of men in Valais

In the Valais governing council elections, none of the eight candidates achieved an absolute majority on the first ballot. The former State Council CVP of Upper Valais obtained the best results Robert Schmidt starting this before Christophe darbellay. National Council of SP Mathias Reynard is in third place.

Women will remain out of government in 2021. Green candidates Brigitte Wolf and Magali Di Marco are in seventh and eighth place. The SP and the Greens drew up a joint list, with the CVP having an absolute majority in the Valais government of five members with three seats. The SP and the FDP each had a seat.