2010 Swiss referendums

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National referendums held in Switzerland in 2010

Six referendums were held in Switzerland during 2010; three in March on pension funds, animal protection and a constitutional amendment, one in September on unemployment benefits, and two in November on deporting foreign criminals and introducing a canton tax.

## Results

[edit]

### March

[edit]

Voters approved Provision 1, an amendment to the constitution on research on humans.[1]

Choice  | Votes  | %  | Cantons

|
|
|

Full  | Half  | Total
For | 1,708,488 | 77.21 | 20 | 6 | 23
Against | 504,167 | 22.79 | 0 | 0 | 0
Invalid/blank votes | 84,893 | – | – | – | –
Total | 2,297,548 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23
Registered voters/turnout | 5,051,169 | 45.49 | – | – | –
Source[2]

Voters rejected Provision 2, a federal decree on providing enhanced legal protection for animals.[1]

Choice  | Votes  | %  | Cantons

|
|
|

Full  | Half  | Total
For | 671,731 | 29.50 | 0 | 0 | 0
Against | 1,605,141 | 70.50 | 20 | 6 | 23
Invalid/blank votes | 37,618 | – | – | – | –
Total | 2,314,490 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23
Registered voters/turnout | 5,051,169 | 45.82 | – | – | –
Source[3]

Voters also rejected Provision 3, a federal law which would change the minimum conversion rate for occupational and disability pension plans.[1]

Choice  | Votes  | %

|
|

For | 617,209 | 27.27
Against | 1,646,369 | 72.73
Invalid/blank votes | 47,474 | –
Total | 2,311,052 | 100
Registered voters/turnout | 5,051,169 | 45.75
Source[4]

### September

[edit]

The referendum held on 26 September had a single topic, namely the revision of unemployment benefits. The centre and right-wing parties were in favour of the revision, which was undertaken to reduce the debt of the ALV, while the left-wing parties were against it.[5]

The referendum was approved by 53.4% of voters, although only the German-speaking cantons (all of them except Basel-Stadt, which was against it with 50.4%) approved it.[6][7]

Choice  | Votes  | %

|
|

For | 958,913 | 53.42
Against | 836,101 | 46.58
Invalid/blank votes | 24,463 | –
Total | 1,819,477 | 100
Registered voters/turnout | 5,077,180 | 35.84
Source[8]

### November

[edit]

The referendum held on 28 November had two issues:

* «Für die Ausschaffung krimineller Ausländer» ("For the deportation of criminal foreigners"), proposed by the Swiss People's Party, as well as a counterproposal by the other partes; and
* «Steuergerechtigkeits-Initiative» ("Taxation justice initiative") for higher taxes on high incomes and property as well as the introduction of a minimum cantonal tax.[9]

The SVP's federal popular initiative on deportation was accepted with 52.2% and a majority of cantons in favour, while the counterproposal failed with only 44.5% in favour. Whilst it was not required, the tie-breaker showed a majority of voters against but a majority of cantons for. On 28 February 2016, a follow-up initiative, also launched by the SVP, was rejected by voters.[10][11][12] The deportation initiative went in effect on 1 October 2016.[12]

Question  | For  | Against  | Blank  | Invalid
votes  | Total  | Registered
voters  | Turnout

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Votes  | %  | Cantons  | Votes  | %  | Cantons  | Votes  | %
Full  | Half  | Total  | Full  | Half  | Total
Proposal | 1,397,923 | 52.26 | 15 | 5 | 17.5 | 1,243,942 | 46.51 | 5 | 1 | 5.5 | 32,762 | 1.23 | 16,172 | 2,690,799 | 5,084,053 | 52.93
Counter-proposal | 1,189,269 | 44.46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,407,830 | 52.64 | 20 | 6 | 23 | 77,528 | 2.90 | 16,172 | 2,690,799 | 5,084,053 | 52.93
Source[13]
Tie-breaker

Choice  | Votes  | %  | Cantons
Full  | Half  | Total
Proposal | 1,252,761 | 46.84 | 13 | 4 | 15
Counter-proposal | 1,271,365 | 47.53 | 7 | 2 | 8
Blank | 150,501 | 5.63 | – | – | –
Invalid votes | 16,172 | – | – | – | –
Total | 2,690,799 | 100 | 20 | 3 | 23
Registered voters/turnout | 5'084'053 | 52.93 | – | – | –
Source: Direct Democracy

The taxation initiative failed with only 41.5% in favour.

Choice  | Votes  | %  | Cantons

|
|
|

Full  | Half  | Total
For | 1,073,229 | 41.54 | 3 | 1 | 3.5
Against | 1,510,589 | 58.46 | 17 | 5 | 19.5
Invalid/blank votes | 78,292 | – | – | – | –
Total | 2,662,110 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23
Registered voters/turnout | 5,084,053 | 52.36 | – | – | –
Source[14]

## Withdrawn

[edit]

In August 2010, family members of a murder victim launched another constitutional amendment initiative to provide for capital punishment in cases of murder combined with sexual violence.[citation needed] The initiative quickly found itself at the center of public attention and was roundly rejected by political leaders; it was withdrawn a day after its official publication.[15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Election Profile IFES
2. ^ Direct Democracy
3. ^ Direct Democracy
4. ^ Direct Democracy
5. ^ Abstimmung 26.09.2010: Revision der Arbeitslosenversicherung Vimentis
6. ^ Deutschschweizer Stimmvolk bringt den Durchbruch NZZ, 26 September 2010
7. ^ Und wieder klafft der Röstigraben NZZ, 27 September 2010
8. ^ Direct Democracy
9. ^ Eidgenössische Abstimmung vom 28. November 2010 Archived 27 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine NZZ
10. ^ Raaflaub, Christian (6 January 2016). "Deportation initiative back before voters - SWI". Swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
11. ^ Stephens, Thomas (28 February 2016). "Swiss voters reject hardline initiative on criminal foreigners - SWI". Swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
12. ^ a b "Foreign Criminal Expulsion Law Set for October". Swissinfo. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
13. ^ Direct Democracy
14. ^ Direct Democracy
15. ^ "Death penalty initiative is withdrawn". swissinfo. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

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Elections and referendums in Switzerland

Parliamentary
elections|

* 1848
* 1851
* 1854
* 1857
* 1860
* 1863
* 1866
* 1869
* 1872
* 1875
* 1878
* 1881
* 1884
* 1887
* 1890
* 1893
* 1896
* 1899
* 1902
* 1905
* 1908
* 1911
* 1914
* 1917
* 1919
* 1922
* 1925
* 1928
* 1931
* 1935
* 1939
* 1943
* 1947
* 1951
* 1955
* 1959
* 1963
* 1967
* 1971
* 1975
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Referendums|

* 1798
* 1802
* 1848
* 1866
* 1872
* 1874
* 1875
* 1876
* 1877
* 1879
* 1880
* 1882
* 1884
* 1885
* 1887
* 1889
* 1890
* 1891
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1900
* 1902
* 1903
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1910
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
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