2019 Swiss referendums

Several federal referendums were held in Switzerland in 2019, with votes taking place on 10 February and 19 May. Federal parliamentary elections were held on 20 October, which led the Swiss Federal Council to postpone the November round of voting until 2020.[1]

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February referendum

In February voters decided on a popular initiative named "Stop the Sprawl – for sustainable development in construction", which would have prevented building zones being expanded, with possible exception made for agriculture or public use on the basis that an equivalent amount of land currently registered as building zone be declassified and rewilded.[2]

The proposal was put forward by the Young Greens in 2015.[3] It was also supported by the Small Farmers Association and the Young Socialists, as well as several environmental organisations, and gathered 113,000 signatures.[2] However, it was opposed by the Federal Council, with Environment Minister Doris Leuthard claiming the idea was "too radical, unfair and counterproductive".[2] An opinion poll published in December 2018 showed 63% of voters to be in favour and 29% opposed.[4]

Results
Question For Against Invalid/
blank		 Total
votes		 Registered
voters		 Turnout Cantons for Cantons against Result
Votes % Votes % Full Half Full Half
Stop the Sprawl737,24136.31,291,51363.730,1842,058,9385,429,64137.900206Rejected
Source: Federal Chancellery of Switzerland

May referendums

Two optional referendums were held on 19 May: one on a law reforming the financing of the Swiss pension system's "first pillar",[5] and another on transposing the European gun control directive (an update to the Schengen acquis) into Swiss law.[6] Both proposals were approved.

Results
Question For Against Invalid/
blank		 Total
votes		 Registered
voters		 Turnout Result
Votes % Votes %
Reforming pension financing1,541,14766.4780,45733.657,8142,379,4185,439,85343.74Approved
Gun control directive1,501,88063.7854,27436.330,7972,386,95143.88Approved
Source: Federal Chancellery of Switzerland[7][8]

References
  1. "Votations fédérales: les Suisses ne s'exprimeront sur aucun sujet national le 24 novembre". www.lenouvelliste.ch (in French). Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  2. Swiss voters asked to decide on urban sprawl Swiss Info, 7 January 2019
  3. Green initiative gets early support, but not enough to win vote Swiss Info, 21 December 2018
  4. "L'initiative contre le mitage bien reçue pour l'instant, selon un sondage SSR". rts.ch (in French). 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  5. Loi fédérale relative à la réforme fiscale et au financement de l’AVS (RFFA) Federal Chancellery
  6. Arrêté fédéral portant approbation et mise en œuvre de l’échange de notes entre la Suisse et l’UE concernant la reprise de la directive (UE) 2017/853 modifiant la directive de l’UE sur les armes (Développement de l’acquis de Schengen) Federal Chancellery
  7. "Votation 627". Federal Chancellery (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  8. "Votation 628". Chancellerie fédérale (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-22.
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