1971 Swiss women's suffrage referendum

none 1971 Swiss women's suffrage referendum Switzerland 1971 02 07 y Federal decision on the introduction of women's suffrage and electoral law in federal matters 14px|link=|alt= For 621109 14px|link=|alt= Against 323882 955321 1654708 1971 Swiss women's suffrage referendum results by canton.svg the referendum by canton For: #cbd8e4 50-55% #a7bcd1 55-60% #84a2be 60–65% #6187ac 65–70% #416d9a 70–75% #2b5385 75-80% #2B2457 >80%Against: #e7e7cf 50-55% #d5d5ac 55-60% #c0bf87 60–65% #a1a167 65–70% #83834d 70–75% #666635 75-80% #4b4b1f >80%A referendum on the introduction of women's suffrage was held in Switzerland on 7 February 1971. Only men were allowed to vote and the result was that 65.7% voted for the introduction.Frauenstimmrecht in der Schweiz https://www.ch.ch/de/wahlen2023/geschichte-der-wahlen/frauenstimmrecht#weiterfuhrende-informationen 2023-06-04 www.ch.ch de 2023-01-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20230130050018/https://www.ch.ch/de/wahlen2023/geschichte-der-wahlen/frauenstimmrecht/#weiterfuhrende-informationen live Die Stimme der Frauen https://verantwortung-leben.ch/entwicklung/die-stimme-der-frauen/ 2023-06-12 Verantwortung leben de-CH 2023-02-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20230205235302/https://verantwortung-leben.ch/entwicklung/die-stimme-der-frauen/ live The outcome was expected, as several cantons had introduced women's suffrage in the years previous, and the Swiss Government and several political parties actively supported women's suffrage. It was the second national referendum after one in 1959, in which men voted against the introduction of women's suffrage.Gesley Jenny 2021-04-28 50 Years of Women's Suffrage in Switzerland In Custodia Legis https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/04/50-years-of-womens-suffrage-in-switzerland/ 2023-06-04 The Library of Congress 2023-03-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20230322130614/https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/04/50-years-of-womens-suffrage-in-switzerland/ live Background In Switzerland, women's suffrage was demanded in Zurich in 1868, when women also wanted to have a vote in the revision of the cantonal constitution. After the demand was rejected, working women established the Working Women Association which by 1893 repeated the demand for women's suffrage. In 1909, the Swiss Association for Women's Suffrage was established,Studer Brigitte 2021-02-04 Die Angst vor der Frau: wie Ungleichheit fabriziert wird de-CH Neue Zürcher Zeitung https://www.nzz.ch/geschichte/wie-ungleichheit-fabriziert-wird-ld.1598265 2023-06-07 0376-6829 Its aim was for a complete women's suffrage and not only a restricted one in religious or educational matters. In aiming for a national women's suffrage, two attempts were made; a postulate prepared in the National Council (lower chamber of the Swiss Parliament) was presented to the Federal Council in 1919, and in 1929, with the support of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland and the Swiss Association for Women Suffrage and a petition with over 200,000 signatures also demanded women's suffrage. Both attempts were unsuccessful. The Federal Councillor Heinrich Häberlin eventually left the project of women's suffrage to his successor.Amliger Fabienne Die Macht der Männer ist die Geduld der Frauen https://www.bhm.ch/de/ausstellungen/ausstellungsarchiv/frauen-ins-bundeshaus/die-macht-der-maenner-ist-die-geduld-der-frauen 2023-06-16 Bernisches Historisches Museum de-CH 2022-07-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20220707143424/https://www.bhm.ch/de/ausstellungen/ausstellungsarchiv/frauen-ins-bundeshaus/die-macht-der-maenner-ist-die-geduld-der-frauen live After several cantonal referendums on women's suffrage in the 1940s, the outcome was negative, in 1951, the Federal Council reasoned the time was not right for a national referendum on women's suffrage.Vor 150 bis 30 Jahren: Der lange Weg zum Schweizer Frauenstimmrecht https://www.sozialarchiv.ch/2021/05/12/vor-150-bis-30-jahren-der-lange-weg-zum-schweizer-frauenstimmrecht/ 2023-06-07 www.sozialarchiv.ch 2023-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20230608172424/https://www.sozialarchiv.ch/2021/05/12/vor-150-bis-30-jahren-der-lange-weg-zum-schweizer-frauenstimmrecht/ live Following this, surveys regarding women in relation to women's suffrage were undertaken in Basel-Stadt, Geneva and Zurich, in which a vast majority of the women supported women's suffrage. In 1957, the Federal Council revised its doubts on women's suffrage and openly supported it.Merz Noëmi Crain 2021-07-16 Frauen gegen das Frauenstimmrecht https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2021/07/frauen-gegen-das-frauenstimmrecht/ 2023-06-07 Blog zur Schweizer Geschichte - Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum de-DE 2023-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20230608215452/https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/2021/07/frauen-gegen-das-frauenstimmrecht/ live Eventually a national referendum was held in 1959 which resulted in the men voting against women's suffrage.Meier Jörg 2019-02-01 Vor 60 Jahren - Aargauer Männer lehnten das Frauenstimmrecht wuchtig ab – mit absurden Argumenten https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/aargauer-manner-lehnten-das-frauenstimmrecht-wuchtig-ab-mit-absurden-argumenten-ld.1342178 2023-06-07 Aargauer Zeitung de 2023-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20230608172423/https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/aargauer-manner-lehnten-das-frauenstimmrecht-wuchtig-ab-mit-absurden-argumenten-ld.1342178 live The Federation of Swiss women against women's suffrage was established by the Committee of Swiss women against women's suffrage. When female teachers of a girls' high school in Basel went on strike due to the outcome, some saw it as evidence that women were not ready for democracy.Studer, Brigitte (2021), p.30 1971 referendum In 1968, the United Nations declared the International Year of Human Rights. When in 1968 the Federal Council wanted to sign the European Convention of Human Rights with the exclusion of women's suffrage, women's associations opposed this aim vigorously.Studer, Brigitte (2021), pp. 30–33 In March 1969, thousands of women were led by Emilie Lieberherr to the Square in front of the Federal Palace, where they demanded women's suffrage.2014-10-10 Radio SRF Musikwelle - Archivperle: Emilie Lieberherr beim "Marsch auf Bern" https://www.srf.ch/radio-srf-musikwelle/radio-srf-musikwelle/archivperle-emilie-lieberherr-beim-marsch-auf-bern 2023-06-07 Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) de 2023-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20230608172421/https://www.srf.ch/radio-srf-musikwelle/radio-srf-musikwelle/archivperle-emilie-lieberherr-beim-marsch-auf-bern live The Federal Council envisaged a new referendum on women's suffrage; the Federal Councillor Ludwig von Moos even saw women's suffrage as a "democratic requirement". No campaign The Federation of Swiss women against women's suffrage, through Gertrud Haldimann and Ida Monn-Krieger, still campaigned against suffrage but their allies withdrew their support with time. Also the Catholic conservative politicians began to support women's suffrage. A few days ahead of the referendum, Haldimann took part in a panel in the casino in Wohlen with representatives of several parties and Trudi Gerster, a prominent supporter of women's suffrage and also an elected member of the Grand Council of Basel.50 Jahre Frauenstimmrecht https://bremgarterbezirksanzeiger.ch/2021/02/50-jahre-frauenstimmrecht.html 2023-06-01 bremgarterbezirksanzeiger.ch 2023-06-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20230601130034/https://bremgarterbezirksanzeiger.ch/2021/02/50-jahre-frauenstimmrecht.html live Yes campaign For the yes campaign the Association for Women's Suffrage was a major campaigner. Migros, the country's largest retail company was also a prominent factor in the campaign.Rüdiger Tim 2021-02-06 50 Jahre Frauenstimmrecht: Der Abstimmungskampf der Migros de-CH 46–47 Neue Zürcher Zeitung https://www.nzz.ch/geschichte/die-migros-gibt-alles-fuer-die-kundin-ld.1598495 2023-06-08 0376-6829 The company formed a committee in support of the referendum within the company, printed bags publicising the yes campaign and published articles supportive of it in its company-owned magazine, which with a circulation of over 600,000 was one of the largest in Switzerland at the time. Also Coop, another major retailer of Switzerland supported the yes campaign, but less prominently. Referendum The referendum took place on 7 February 1971, and the result was that a majority of 65.7% approved women's suffrage. The approval was expected as several cantons had approved women's suffrage in the years before. ChoicePopular voteCantonsVotes%FullHalfTotalFor621,10965.714315.5Against323,88234.3536.5Blank votes8,600––––Invalid votes1,730––––Total955,32110019622Registered voters/turnout1,654,70857.7–––Source: 2025 Votation No 224: Tableau récapitulatif https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/va/19710207/det224.html 2025-04-08 Chancellerie fédérale fr By canton CantonFor%Against%TurnoutZurich119,63166.8359,37533.1762.34Bern95,46666.5248,04433.4851.32Lucerne29,45962.7217,51237.2860.10Uri2,47736.344,34063.6671.57Schwyz5,94542.228,13657.7857.51Obwalden1,66846.721,90253.2850.74Nidwalden2,70355.802,14144.2068.12Glarus2,69241.323,82358.6862.85Zug6,69959.914,48340.0966.29Fribourg19,40471.087,89328.9253.80Solothurn22,03064.1112,33135.8958.36Basel-Stadt27,48082.175,96217.8351.23Basel-Landschaft21,22979.865,35320.1450.37Schaffhausen8,25256.726,29643.2880.06Appenzell Ausserrhoden3,48539.885,25360.1265.35Appenzell Innerrhoden57428.921,41171.0852.48St. Gallen27,04246.5031,11453.5060.23Grisons12,77854.8410,52445.1655.26Aargau39,46950.1539,22949.8572.92Thurgau13,46444.1317,04655.8767.29Ticino20,52775.346,71924.6647.45Vaud55,85283.9310,69616.0751.02Valais24,44279.946,13520.0653.33Neuchâtel20,20582.034,42617.9757.40Geneva38,13691.073,7388.9356.41Source: Swissvotes (archive link) Aftermath The day after the referendum, a major tabloid of Switzerland, Blick, sported the headline 'Thanks for the Roses' on the front page accompanied with a naked blonde receiving roses from a man.2021-06-17 50 Jahre Frauenstimmrecht - Archivperlen eines Schweizer Heldinnenkampfes https://www.srf.ch/kultur/film-serien/50-jahre-frauenstimmrecht-archivperlen-eines-schweizer-heldinnenkampfes 2023-06-04 Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) de 2023-06-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20230609065350/https://www.srf.ch/kultur/film-serien/50-jahre-frauenstimmrecht-archivperlen-eines-schweizer-heldinnenkampfes live 50 Jahre Frauenstimmrecht: Blick inszeniert Cover von damals neu https://www.persoenlich.com/gesellschaft/blick-inszeniert-cover-von-damals-neu 2023-06-07 persoenlich.com en 2023-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20230608172423/https://www.persoenlich.com/gesellschaft/blick-inszeniert-cover-von-damals-neu live Following the referendum, several cantons introduced women's suffrage, but not all. Appenzell Ausserrhoden introduced the cantonal women's suffrage in April 1989, but Appenzell Innerrhoden again rejected it and only introduced it in November 1990, following a ruling from the Federal Court. References Switzerland Category:Referendums in Switzerland Category:Women's suffrage in Switzerland Category:Suffrage referendums Category:1971 in Switzerland