2013 Swiss referendums

none Eleven national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2013. Voters approved six proposals related to spatial planning, executive pay, family policy, amendments to the laws on asylum and epidemics and an increase in the length of petrol station shop opening hours. The other five proposals on directly electing the Federal Council, abolishing compulsory military service, limiting salaries in a company to 12 times the lowest paid worker, tax credits for stay-at-home parents and an increase in road tax were rejected. March referendums The first three national referendums in 2013 were held on 3 March, with voters asked whether they supported a federal order on family policy, an amendment to the federal law on spatial planning,Election Profile IFES and a popular initiative on executive pay that would introduce binding shareholder votes on salary levels,Swiss edge towards binding vote https://web.archive.org/web/20131002212437/http://www.pirc.co.uk/news/swiss-edge-towards-binding-vote 2013-10-02 PIRC as well as banning golden hellos for new employees and golden parachutes for departing staff. The family policy question was approved by a majority of voters, but rejected by a majority of cantons.Switzerland, 3 March 2013: Family politics Direct Democracy de The planning question was approved by a majority of voters and did not require a cantonal majority.Switzerland, 3 March 2013: Spatial planning law Direct Democracy de The executive pay initiative was approved by around two-thirds of voters and all cantons.Swiss referendum backs executive pay curbs BBC News, 3 March 2013 Proposals Family policy On 15 June 2012 a federal order was passed on family planning. It would make an amendment to the Swiss Constitution requiring the federal government to work with cantonal governments to promote work–life balance and improve the provision of day care, as well as ensuring the needs of families are considered in government policies. Planning On 15 June 2012 an amendment to the federal law on spatial planning was passed, which limited the amount of land available to communities for development purposes to that equivalent needed for the next fifteen years. It also introduced a 20% tax rate on land transactions for owners of land for development. Executive pay Swiss executive pay referendum, 2013 The proposals were conceived by Thomas Minder, who launched a campaign in 2008 following significant losses at UBS, which were blamed on a bonus culture leading to excessive risk-taking by managers. They would amend legislation to:Say-on-payAugust 2026 InternetArchiveBot Deloitte, 19 July 2012 require an annual vote by shareholders for the president and other members of the management board of directors, members of the remuneration committee, and any advisory board and executive officers of the organisation. require the articles of association to include bonus schemes and pay plans for directors and executive officers, any loans granted to such employees, the number of mandates outside the organisation, and the duration of employment contracts of executive officers. ban advance and severance packages. ban corporate proxy and the representation of shareholders by depository banks. require pension funds to disclose the way it votes, and to vote in the interests of pension policyholders. Polls in January 2013 suggested that a majority was in favour of the proposals,Majority of Swiss back "fat cat" pay curbs - poll Reuters, 13 January 2013 although they were opposed by the Economiesuisse business lobby and the Swiss government.https://archive.today/20130215174707/http://www.cnbc.com/id/100324005/Swiss_government_says_proposed_quotfat_catquot_curbs_go_too_far Swiss government says proposed "fat cat" curbs go too far Reuters, 18 December 2012 Supporters of the initiative spent 200,000 Swiss Francs, while opponents spent 8 million Swiss Francs in their campaign to block reform.Peer Teuwsen Die Zeit http://www.zeit.de/2013/05/Schweiz-Aktienrecht-Abzocker-Initiative Initiative gegen "Abzocker": Minders Kampf 5 24 January 2013 German Peer TeuwsenAndreas Fagetti WOZ Die Wochenzeitung http://www.woz.ch/1305/abzockerinitiative/eine-watsche-fuer-die-da-oben Eine Watsche für die da oben 5 31 January 2013 German Electoral system Eleven cantons allowed overseas voters to vote online after the Federal Council approved the method in December 2012.CH: 11 cantons enable their voters residing abroad to vote online in March 2013 Global Centre for ICT in Parliament Results QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalvotesRegisteredvotersTurnoutCantons forCantons againstResultVotes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalfFamily policy1,283,95154.351,078,53145.6549,6132,412,0955,174,68046.6192114 RejectedPlanning1,476,94262.89871,51437.1158,3312,406,78746.51 AcceptedExecutive pay1,616,18467.96761,97532.0440,6662,418,82546.7420600 AcceptedSource: Direct Democracy June referendums Two referendums were held on 9 June on a popular initiative on introducing direct elections to the Federal Council, and on amendments to the Asylum Act.Election Profile IFES Proposals Asylum law amendments The changes to the Asylum Law would give the Federal government increased powers to speed up the process. It would also abolish the right to apply for asylum at Swiss embassies overseas, as well as excluding conscientious objectors and deserters from applying.Asylum and cabinet reforms set for clear verdictAugust 2026 InternetArchiveBot Swiss Info, 29 May 2013 The proposals were opposed by left-wing parties, trade unions, human rights groups and church groups. Prior to the referendum, opinion polls showed support for the proposals at 57%. The changes to the law were ultimately approved by almost 80% of voters.Swiss back tighter asylum rules BBC News, 9 June 2013 Direct election of the Federal Council The proposal for direct election of the Federal Council, which would involve amending the Swiss Federal Constitution, was put forward by the Swiss People's Party. Opinion polls in late May showed 66% of voters opposed. The proposal was ultimately rejected by 76% of voters.Vorlage Nr. 570 Übersicht Swiss Confederation Results QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalvotesRegisteredvotersTurnoutCantons forCantons againstResultVotes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalfAsylum law1,573,00778.45432,17421.5538,9112,044,0925,184,42639.43 AcceptedFederal Council480,29123.661,550,08076.3418,2932,048,66439.5200206 RejectedSource: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland September referendums Three federal referendums were held on 22 September 2013.Referendums on 22 September 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20140306000438/http://www.parlament.ch/d/wahlen-abstimmungen/volksabstimmungen/volksabstimmungen-2013/abstimmung-2013-09-22/seiten/default.aspx 6 March 2014 Swiss Parliament, 28 June 2013 de The abolition of compulsory military service was rejected, whilst an amendment to epidemia law and an increase in the opening hours of petrol station shops were both approved. Results QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalvotesRegisteredvotersTurnoutCantons forCantons againstResultVotes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalfAbolition of compulsory military service644,98526.81,762,81173.232,7402,440,5365,194,15047.000206 RejectedAmendment to the epidemia law1,395,60759.0968,07841.065,3022,428,98746.76 AcceptedIncrease petrol station shop opening hours1,345,66256.71,025,81743.357,9562,429,43546.77 AcceptedSource: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland November referendums Three referendums were held on 24 November on a proposed increase in road tax,Voters to decide on road tax hike in November The Local, 12 July 2013 limiting the highest salary in a company to twelve times the lowest salary,Swiss divided as 1:12 executive pay referendum nears The Guardian, 14 November 2013 and tax credits for stay-at-home parents.Swiss Confederation Referendum IFES All three were rejected by voters. Results QuestionForAgainstInvalid/blankTotalvotesRegisteredvotersTurnoutCantons forCantons againstResultVotes%Votes%FullHalfFullHalfSalary capping using the 1:12 ratio954,78734.71,796,93065.339,3652,791,0825,203,97353.6300206 RejectedTax credits for stay-at-home parents1,139,67041.51,604,49158.544,5642,788,72553.5921185 RejectedIncrease in road tax1,087,36839.51,662,74860.539,9352,790,05153.61 RejectedSource: Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland, Government of Switzerland References 2 Politics Switzerland Category:2013 referendums Category:2013 elections in Switzerland Category:Referendums in Switzerland Category:Conscription referendums