Six national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2015, the first of which were held on 8 March.[1]
March referendums
Two referendums were held on 8 March.[2] The family initiative proposal proposed that child and education allowances should be exempt from income tax,[2] whilst second initiative called for the introduction of a tax on non-renewable energy,[2] with the higher cost of energy consumption compensated by the abolition of VAT.[2] The family initiative was initiated by the Christian Democratic People's Party and the energy initiative was initiated by the Green Liberal Party.[3] The Swiss government recommended the rejection of both initiatives,[2] and both were rejected by voters.
The failed energy initiative received worst vote result for an initiative since 1929.[3]
Results
| Question | For | Against | Invalid/ blank | Total votes | Registered voters | Turnout | Cantons for | Cantons against | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Full | Half | Full | Half | ||||||
| Family initiative | 537,795 | 24.6 | 1,650,109 | 75.4 | 22,987 | 2,210,891 | 5,254,965 | 42.07 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | Rejected |
| Non-renewable energy tax | 175,405 | 8.0 | 2,010,326 | 92.0 | 24,390 | 2,210,121 | 41.06 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | Rejected | |
| Source: Government of Switzerland | |||||||||||||
June referendums
Four referendums were held on 14 June 2015, covering a constitutional amendment regarding reproductive medicine and human gene technology, popular initiatives on scholarships and inheritance tax and a modification of the federal law on radio and television reducing the annual licence fee from 462 to 400 Francs.[4]
Results
| Question | For | Against | Invalid/ blank | Total votes | Registered voters | Turnout | Cantons for | Cantons against | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Full | Half | Full | Half | ||||||
| Reproductive medicine/gene technology | 1,377,613 | 61.9 | 846,865 | 38.1 | 66,515 | 2,290,993 | 5,265,120 | 43.5 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Accepted |
| Scholarships | 610,284 | 27.5 | 1,611,911 | 72.5 | 65,360 | 2,287,555 | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | Rejected | |
| Inheritance tax | 657,851 | 29.0 | 1,613,982 | 71.0 | 29,487 | 2,301,320 | 43.7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | Rejected | |
| Federal law on radio and television | 1,128,522 | 50.1 | 1,124,873 | 49.9 | 44,568 | 2,297,963 | 43.6 | Accepted | |||||
| Source: Government of Switzerland 1, 2, 3, 4 | |||||||||||||