Referendum Results (*I&II); Drop In Corona Cases

News For 29 September 2020

Sunday's Swiss referendum saw the rejection of the anti-immigration initiative championed by the Swiss People's Party (SVP).  Overall, 61.7% of Swiss voters rejected the initiative which called for ending the free movement of citizens between Europe and Switzerland.  The outcome was lauded by trade unions and interests representing businesses who support stable labor markets and the ability to hire nationals from the countries neighboring Switzerland.  Conversely, the results seem to suggest the SVP continues to struggle to mobilize voters outside their base in a few German speaking cantons.  

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The referendum also put to a vote Swiss support for mandated paternity leave and increased child-support payments.  60% of Swiss voters cast their support for a federally mandated paid paternity leave of 10 days, bringing Switzerland in-line with many of its neighboring countries.  However, increases in annual tax deductions for child-care and child-dependents was also rejected by more than 63% of voters.  The initiative sought to increase deductible child-care expenses from an annual 10,100 to 25,000 Swiss Francs and to expand child dependent tax deductions from 6,500 to 10,000 Swiss Francs.

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As of the end of last week, for which the latest numbers were available - the number of new cases of Covid19 infections in Switzerland just exceeded 2,500 - a drop of 15% from the week prior.  Despite this, new measures went into effect at the end of the week requiring those returning from travel to many European countries to quarantine themselves for at least 10 days.  The cantons of Vaud and Geneva continue to have the highest infection rates in the country, and have been classified as the highest risk for exposure and contagion.  The cumulative death toll in Switzerland due to Coronavirus now stands at 2,063.