Geneva votes on lower hurdles for initiatives
Published: Friday, Feb 9th 2024, 09:40
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On March 3, the people of Geneva will decide whether they want to reduce the number of signatures required for cantonal initiatives and referendums. Geneva is the only canton in Switzerland that adjusts the number of signatures required in line with population growth.
The threshold is currently 3 percent of voters for a total or partial revision of the cantonal constitution and 2 percent for a legislative initiative or an optional referendum. The exact number of signatures required is updated every year.
The draft law "For the exercise of political rights in line with today's realities" provides for these figures to be lowered to 2 percent and 1.5 percent respectively. The threshold is also to be lowered at municipal level.
Romand's strings
In Switzerland, the number of signatures required and the collection deadlines vary greatly from canton to canton. French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino are the strictest: In Jura, the limit is 3.4 percent of those eligible to vote, in Neuchâtel 3.3 percent and in Ticino 3.1 percent for a cantonal initiative to come into being. In addition to Geneva with 3 percent for constitutional initiatives, the quota in Basel-Stadt, Graubünden, Fribourg, Vaud and Zug is over 2.5 percent.
In contrast, Zurich requires the fewest signatures to submit an initiative: 0.65% of voters are required there. Aargau and the cantons of Baselland, Nidwalden and Appenzell-Ausserrhoden also require less than 1 percent.
At federal level, initiative committees must collect at least 100,000 signatures. This corresponds to 1.8 percent of the voting population in Switzerland - a quota equivalent to that in Valais and Lucerne.
From 250 to 15,000 signatures
In absolute terms, Bern has the strictest requirements: The canton requires 15,000 signatures (2 percent of those eligible to vote) for a cantonal popular initiative to come into being. It is followed by Vaud (12,000), Geneva (8,219) and St. Gallen (8,000).
Zurich, the most populous canton in the country, only requires 6000, the same number as Fribourg. At the other end of the spectrum, 250 signatures are enough to validate an initiative in Nidwalden and 300 in Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
The deadlines for collecting signatures also vary considerably from canton to canton. While initiators have 18 months at federal level, the period in the canton of Nidwalden is two months. In the cantons of Fribourg, Ticino, Vaud, Geneva and St. Gallen, the deadline is less than six months.
The longest period is 24 months in Baselland. In Schaffhausen, Obwalden, Schwyz, Zug and Appenzell Ausserrhoden there are no time limits.
Special case of the Landsgemeinde
There are other special features in some cantons. In Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden, there are no cantonal initiatives that lead to a vote at the ballot box, as these cantons still hold a Landsgemeinde. At the Landsgemeinde, a single person with voting rights can submit a proposal to amend the constitution.
The cantons of Solothurn, Jura and Graubünden also have a municipal initiative, which means that municipalities can launch an initiative. In Solothurn ten, in Jura five and in Graubünden one seventh of all municipalities are required.
©Keystone/SDA
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