CNN.com - World News: Election Watch

Sign InRegister

SWITZERLAND

COUNTRY	Swiss Confederation
ELECTION TYPE	Two-provision referendum on Schengen/Dublin association agreements and registration of same-sex partnerships.
DATE	June 5, 2005

Story Tools:

At stake in this Referendum:

This referendum asks voters whether Switzerland should participate in the Schengen/Dublin association agreements of the European Union. It also asks voters whether Switzerland should allow same-sex partnerships registration.

Description of government structure:

Executive Branch: Federal Council consisting of seven members; current head: Federal Councillor Samuel SCHMID (President of the Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports)
Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung, Assemblée Fédérale, or Assemblea Federale) consisting of the Council of States (Standerat, Conseil des États, or Consiglio degli Stati) with 46 seats and the National Council (Nationalrat, Conseil National, or Consiglio Nazionale) with 200 seats.

Main provisions in this Referendum:

1st provision: Schengen/Dublin association agreements
Asks voters whether Switzerland should participate in the Schengen/Dublin association agreements of the European Union. The treaty would extend Switzerland’s cooperation with the European Union, grant direct access to the EU crime investigation data, and streamline asylum proceedings. In return, systematic passport checks at the border between Switzerland and its neighboring EU countries would be abolished.
2nd provision: Registration of same-sex partnerships
Asks voters whether an optional registration of same-sex partnerships should be introduced by law in Switzerland. Under the proposed law, registered homosexual couples would be granted the same rights as heterosexual married couples regarding pensions, insurance, and taxation. However, child adoption as well as access to fertility treatments would still be legally excluded.

Population and number of registered voters:

Of interest:

Swiss citizens are asked to vote several times a year on various issues and on various levels (federal, cantons, and communes).
The people are entitled to have the final say on parliamentary decisions (bills): a popular ballot is held if 50,000 signatures are collected within 100 days of parliamentary approval of a bill or international treaty. The results of such popular votes are binding on the parliament and the government, and cannot be altered.

SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: IFES ELECTIONGUIDE ONLINE