2025 Swiss referendums

2025 Swiss referendums

February 2025 referendum
9 February 2025
Environmental Responsibility
For
30.16%
Against
69.84%

Several referendums will be held in Switzerland during 2025, with national votes on 9 February, 28 September and 11 November.[1]

February referendum

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Only one popular initiative made it to the ballot for this first poll of the year, the "Environmental Responsibility Initiative", supported by the youth branch of Green Party.[2] If accepted, Switzerland would have ten years to reduce consumption and economic activity to "sustainable levels". The initiative did not indicate how these objectives should be met.

Both the Federal Council and Parliament recommended voters to reject the initiative, which ended up being soundly defeated.[3]

Results

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Question For Against Invalid/
blank
Total
votes
Registered
voters
Turnout Outcome
Votes % Cantons Votes % Cantons
Environmental Responsibility 639,005 30.25 0+02 1,473,529 69.75 20+62 25,384 2,137,918 5,618,325 38.05 Rejected
Source: Federal Chancellery[4]

September referendum

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Campaign poster for the Swiss popular vote of 28 September 2025 on electronic identity and property tax. In it, the Neuchâtel branch of the Liberal Radicals are advocating a yes vote on the former and a no vote on the latter.

Two referendums were subject to vote on 28 September 2025: electronic identity and property tax. Both referendums were approved, although the former passed narrowly with 50.4%, while the latter had 57.7% of votes in favor.[5] The government (including both houses of the Federal Assembly) supported the plans for the electronic identity cards, and it was expected by pollsters that there would be stronger support for the proposal.[6]

In Zurich, a motion to ban the use of petrol-fuelled leaf blowers and leaf vacuums due to concerns over noise and air pollution was passed with 61% of voters in favor, while in Thurgau, a motion to lift a ban on secular events on five religious holidays was passed by a majority of 51.1%.[7]

Results

[edit]
Question For Against Invalid/
blank
Total
votes
Turnout Outcome
Votes % Cantons Votes % Cantons
Federal Decree on Cantonal Property Taxes on Secondary Properties 1,579,303 57.73 14+52 1,159,560 42.27 6+12 49.50 Approved
Federal Act on Electronic Proof of Identity and Other Electronic Evidence (E-ID Act, BGEID) 1,384,549 50.39 7+12 1,363,283 49.61 13+52 49.55 Approved
Source: Federal Chancellery[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Votes for the next 20 years". Federal Chancellery (in French). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  2. ^ "Environmental Responsibility Initiative". Federal Council. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  3. ^ "Les Suisses renvoient les Jeunes Vert·e·x·s à leurs études". Le Temps (in French). 9 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  4. ^ "Votation populaire du 9.02.2025". Federal Chancellery (in French). Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  5. ^ "Volksabstimmung vom 28.09.2025". www.bk.admin.ch (in German). Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  6. ^ Rankin, Jennifer (28 September 2025). "Swiss voters back electronic identity cards in close vote". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Zurich votes to ban petrol leaf blowers". France 24. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Volksabstimmung vom 28.09.2025". Federal Chancellery (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-29.