Swiss referendum, November 2009
Encyclopedia
On 29 November 2009, the citizens of Switzerland
voted on a referendum to decide on three proposals on the federal level:
There were numerous other issues voted upon at the cantonal and municipal levels.
supported the referendum. It aimed at stopping the "Islamization
of Switzerland". The initial initiator of the referendum was then member of Swiss People’s Party Daniel Streich
.
Early exit polls suggested that the proposal had been passed at plebiscite. According to gfs.bern the motion received 58% of the votes, then 59% with a turnout of about 55%.
Final results indicated that 57.5% (1 534 054 citizens) of voters had approved the proposals to ban minarets, out of a 53.4% turnout. Only 3½ cantons
out of 23 rejected the proposals.
Key to above graph:
Voters rejected the proposal by 68.2%, with 31.5% in favour of the measure. Turnout was 53%.
Voters approved the measure with 65% in favour.
system for the benefit of its rich residents, and attempted to introduce a regressive tax
system, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Swiss Federal Court.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
voted on a referendum to decide on three proposals on the federal level:
- a ban on the construction of new minaretMinaretA minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s (without retroactive effectEx post facto lawAn ex post facto law or retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions committed or relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law...
on four existing Swiss minarets), passed with 57% in favour; The referendum took place following a campaign to ban minarets in the countryMinaret controversy in SwitzerlandThe minaret controversy in Switzerland refers to construction of minarets, which has been subject to legal and political controversy in Switzerland during the 2000s and a Swiss referendum regarding this issue. In a November 2009 referendum, a constitutional amendment banning the construction of new...
. - a ban on exporting matérielMaterielMateriel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
(war supplies), rejected with 68% against; - a prescription that money collected from aviation fuelAviation fuelAviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications, such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures,...
taxation should be used for aviationAviationAviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
matters, passed with 65% in favour.
There were numerous other issues voted upon at the cantonal and municipal levels.
Minaret ban
Only one political party, the right wing Swiss People's PartySwiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
supported the referendum. It aimed at stopping the "Islamization
Islamization
Islamization or Islamification has been used to describe the process of a society's conversion to the religion of Islam...
of Switzerland". The initial initiator of the referendum was then member of Swiss People’s Party Daniel Streich
Daniel Streich
Daniel Streich is a Swiss military instructor, community council member and a former member of Swiss People’s Party....
.
Early exit polls suggested that the proposal had been passed at plebiscite. According to gfs.bern the motion received 58% of the votes, then 59% with a turnout of about 55%.
Final results indicated that 57.5% (1 534 054 citizens) of voters had approved the proposals to ban minarets, out of a 53.4% turnout. Only 3½ cantons
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
out of 23 rejected the proposals.
Key to above graph:
- Horizontal axis: abbreviations of Swiss cantonsCantons of SwitzerlandThe 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
- Red: percentage opposed to ban
- Green: percentage supporting ban
Arms export
The arms referendum sought to ban the export of military weapons and ammunition, in order to further reduce Switzerland's involvement in war. Current law prohibits the exports of materiel to countries involved in armed conflict, or violating human rights. Industry warned of possible job losses if passed, and the cabinet recommended against it saying that existing legislation offers enough protections. The group backing the initiative argued that weapons exports contradict the country's neutrality. A similar initiative was defeated in 1997.Voters rejected the proposal by 68.2%, with 31.5% in favour of the measure. Turnout was 53%.
Aviation fuel taxation
The aviation fuel tax referendum was initiated by centre-right and right members of parliament to direct much of the taxes on kerosene to airport spending. Previously two-thirds of the taxes collected were spent on road safety, with the rest going to the federal general fund. The initiative directs the two-thirds to aviation safety and environmental concerns, with the remainder continuing to be used for discretionary spending.Voters approved the measure with 65% in favour.
Cantonal items
In the canton of Obwalden, the voting population turned down plans to reserve sections of land for the wealthy, officially designated "high quality standard of life zones of cantonal interest". These zones were part of Obwalden's strategy of increasing tax attractiveness in competition with other cantons. The referendum was successfully opposed by the cantonal section of the Swiss Green Party. Obwalden already has a flat taxFlat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
system for the benefit of its rich residents, and attempted to introduce a regressive tax
Regressive tax
A regressive tax is a tax imposed in such a manner that the tax rate decreases as the amount subject to taxation increases. "Regressive" describes a distribution effect on income or expenditure, referring to the way the rate progresses from high to low, where the average tax rate exceeds the...
system, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Swiss Federal Court.