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In the end it was still tight. The SVP is less than 2,000 signatures missing for the referendum against the bridge pension for the elderly unemployed. Despite the final outbreak, they failed to mobilize the necessary 50,000 supporters.
This means that the new social welfare work is on dry sheets. The SVP has to take its own nose to ensure that the change in the law does not come before the people. Because the party did not approach the referendum with united forces, but left the job to a committee of representatives of the SVP. Due to the voting campaign for the limitation initiative, the entire party did not have time.
Corona difficulties
Collecting signatures was extremely difficult. After the last Sunday of the vote, less than two weeks before the end of the referendum deadline, almost a third of the signatures were missing.
The committee attributes the lack of response to the corona pandemic. It’s very difficult to collect signatures under the current circumstances, says Mike Egger (28), SVP National Counselor of St. Gallen. On the one hand, because current regulations prevent some collectors from going out on the street. On the other hand, because there are far fewer events you can diligently collect on.
The pension will be introduced soon
The SVP was the only party that fought against the bridge pension. This benefits those who pay taxes a few years before their retirement. The pension is intended to prevent them from falling into social assistance. From the point of view of the opponents, this is an expansion of the welfare state, which does not help those affected, but harms them. It made older people more likely to be fired, they warned.
Now that there is no vote, the bridge pension should be introduced on January 1, 2021.
