Many questions are still up in the air regarding the new package of agreements between Switzerland and the European Union – such as when the public vote will actually take place. But we do now know what kind of referendum Swiss voters will have.
During the week beginning on September 28th, MPs have been debating the details of the new batch of bilateral treaties that are waiting to be ratified.
Among the issues they decided on, for instance, is including the ‘immigration tax’ – to be imposed on foreign nationals who settle in the country – in the agreement’s ‘safeguard clauses.’
READ MORE: Switzerland’s Council of States to push forward with ‘immigration tax’ plan
Another pressing matter is now settled as well: as agreements need to be approved by voters, the question was: what kind of referendum should be held.
Two choices
There has been no question that the ratification (or not) of the new treaties would be up to Swiss voters.
The legislators’ task, however, was to decide whether the treaties should be put to an ‘optional’ or ‘mandatory’ referendum.
What is the difference between the two?
Citizens who oppose a new law typically trigger the optional referendum by collecting 50,000 signatures on a petition.
A majority of the popular vote is needed for the issue’s approval.
The mandatory referendum, on the other hand, is required automatically for major government decisions and new legislation – as is the case with the bilateral treaties.
The burden of approval is more demanding in mandatory than in the optional alternative. That’s because to pass, a ‘double majority’ is needed – a majority of voters and cantons.
The deputies opted for the latter one, though the decision is not unanimous: during the lengthy deliberations, MPs were split on which version is more appropriate for this particular issue.
‘Greater legitimacy’
Centre Party MP Heidi Z’graggen argued that the issues at stake is “so fundamental that a simple popular majority would not suffice.”
Also, an optional referendum would mean that the “participatory rights of the cantons would be curtailed.”
And as another deputy, Petra Gössi from the Liberal-Radical Party, pointed out, “the package of agreements affects the cantons directly. They should therefore have a say in the decision.”
Furthermore, a “double majority would result in greater legitimacy and stronger public confidence” in the results, Gössi added.
READ MORE: EU and Switzerland ink deals package for closer ties
