# Popular initiative in Switzerland

A popular initiative (German: Volksinitiative, French: initiative populaire, Italian: iniziativa popolare, Romansh: iniziativa dal pievel) allows people to suggest laws on a federal, cantonal, and municipal level.
On a federal level it may only change the federal constitution, not propose an ordinary law. Along with the popular referendum and in some cantons recall elections, it is a form of direct democracy.

## History

Popular initiatives were introduced as a tool at the federal level in the 1891 partial revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution. Between 1893 and 2014, out of a total of 192 federal initiatives put to the vote, 22 were successful. Another 73 were withdrawn, mostly in favour of a counter-proposal.
The first successful initiative was the first ever launched, asking for "prohibition of slaughter without prior anesthesia" (ostensibly phrased as a matter of animal rights, but in practice directed against shechita in particular, a practice that remains outlawed in Switzerland to the present day).
The successful initiatives date to the following years: 1893, 1908 (absinthe), 1918, 1920 (gambling), 1921, 1928 (gambling), 1949, 1982, 1987 (protection of wetlands), 1990 (nuclear power moratorium), 1993 (National Day), 1994 (protection of alpine ecosystems), 2002 (UN membership), 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 (minaret ban), 2010, 2012, 2013 (executive pay), 2014 (immigration), 2014 (convicted child sex offender work ban).
Successful initiatives were thus quite rare, with a gap of 20 years during 1929–1949, and even of more than 30 years during 1949–1982 during which not a single initiative found favour with the electorate. In the 21st century, the picture changes significantly, with five successful initiatives during the 2000s, and another five just during 2010–2014.
Among the 170 rejected initiatives (as of October 2014), there are several that still played a major role in Swiss politics. Notable among them, also for the high voter turnout they inspired, were the anti-immigration initiatives of James Schwarzenbach in 1970 and 1974 (74.7% and 70.3% turnout, respectively), and the 1989 initiative with the aim of abolishing the Swiss Army (69.2% turnout).

## Federal popular initiative

The federal popular initiative (German: Eidgenössische Volksinitiative, French: Initiative populaire fédérale, Italian: Iniziativa popolare federale) is an instrument of direct democracy in Switzerland. It allows citizens to propose changes to the Swiss Federal Constitution. A votation will be organised for every proposition of modification that collected 100,000 valid signatures in 18 months.
The most frequent themes tackled by initiatives are healthcare, taxes, welfare, drug policy, public transport, immigration, asylum, and education. There are only two kinds of restrictions on the content:
* Formal criteria (the initiative should deal with one topic at a time, etc.)
* The initiative should not infringe on the core of the human rights, known as jus cogens.
It is different from the mandatory referendum in that in a popular initiative, the proposition to change the constitution comes from the population and not from the parliament. The authorities, even if they don't like it, cannot prevent an initiative which has collected enough signatures from being held, but they can make a counter proposal, known as counter-project.
A double majority of people and cantons is required to change the constitution.
Popular initiatives exist at the federal, cantonal, and municipal levels.

### Suggested revisions

At the time of its introduction to the Swiss Constitution in 1891, the federal initiative system was initially meant to let groups that were not represented in the parliamentary process voice their concerns.
Since the 2000s, it has been increasingly used by political parties to bypass the parliamentary process. Some critics argue that it undermines the whole Swiss political system, based on compromise and adaptation to one another, as it suppresses any possibility to negotiate on an issue (an initiative can only be accepted or rejected as a whole). Others argue that it is democracy in its purest form.
Critics also argue that the multiplication of initiatives undermines the stability of the legal framework, as initiatives proposing drastic reforms are more and more frequent.

## Cantonal popular initiative

Comparison of popular initiative law in Swiss Cantons :
| Canton | Type | Signatures required | Signature Collection period | Counter Proposal | Notes |
| Aargau | Total constitutional revision | 3,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Aargau | Constitutional amendment initiative | 3,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Aargau | Legislative initiative | 3,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated in: Constitution of the Canton of Aargau, Section 64 - 65 |||||
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | Total constitutional revision | 1 eligible voter | N/A | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | Constitutional amendment initiative | 1 eligible voter | N/A | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | Legislative initiative | 1 eligible voter | N/A | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated in: Constitution of the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Art. 7 |||||
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Total constitutional revision | 300 signatures | | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Constitution amendment initiative | 300 signatures | | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Legislative initiative | 300 signatures | | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated in: Constitution of the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Art.51 a. - Art.55 e. |||||
| Bern | Total constitutional revision | 30,000 signatures | 6 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Bern | Constitutional amendment initiative | 15,000 signatures | 6 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Bern | Legislative initiative | 15,000 signatures | 6 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Bern | Intercantonal / International contract negotiation | 15,000 signatures | 6 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Bern | Elaboration of government resolution | 15,000 signatures | 6 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Bern, Art. 58 - Art. 60 |||||
| Basel- Landschaft | Total constitutional revision | 1,500 signatures | No limit | | |
| Basel- Landschaft | Constitutional amendment initiative | 1,500 signatures | No limit | | |
| Basel- Landschaft | Legislative initiative | 1,500 signatures | No limit | | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft, Art. 28 - Art. 29 |||||
| Basel-Stadt | Total constitutional revision | 3,000 signatures | 18 months | | |
| Basel-Stadt | Constitutional amendment initiative | 3,000 signatures | 18 months | | |
| Basel-Stadt | Legislative initiative | 3,000 signatures | 18 months | | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, |||||
| Fribourg | Total constitutional revision | 6,000 signatures | 90 days | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Fribourg | Constitutional amendment | 6,000 signatures | 90 days | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Fribourg | Legislative initiative | 6,000 signatures | 90 days | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Fribourg, |||||
| Geneva | Total constitutional revision | 3% of eligible voters | 4 months | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Geneva | Constitutional amendment | 3% of eligible voters | 4 months | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Geneva | Legislative initiative | 2% of eligible voters | 4 months | Counter-proposal allowed | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, Art. 56 - Art. 64 |||||
| Glarus | Total constitutional revision | 1 eligible voter | N/A | | Municipalities may propose these initiatives |
| Glarus | Constitutional amendment | 1 eligible voter | N/A | | Municipalities may propose these initiatives |
| Glarus | Legislative initiative | 1 eligible voter | N/A | | Municipalities may propose these initiatives |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Glarus, Art. 58 and Art. 59 |||||
| Graubünden | Total constitutional revision | 4,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | 1/6 of municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Graubünden | Constitutional amendment | 4,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | 1/6 of municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Graubünden | Legislative initiative | 3,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | 1/7 of municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Graubünden, Art. 12 - Art. 15 |||||
| Jura | Total constitutional revision | 5,000 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | 5 municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Jura | Constitutional amendment | 5,000 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | 5 municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Jura | Ordinary law | 5,000 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | 5 municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Jura, Art. 75 - Art. 76 |||||
| Lucerne | Total constitutional revision | 5,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Lucerne | Constitutional amendment | 5,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Lucerne | Ordinary law | 4,000 signatures | 12 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Lucerne, Art. 20 - Art. 22 |||||
| Neuchâtel | Total constitutional revision | 10,000 signatures | 6 months | No counter proposal | |
| Neuchâtel | Constitutional amendment initiative | 6,000 signatures | 6 months | No counter proposal | |
| Neuchâtel | Legislative initiative | 4,500 signatures | 6 months | No counter proposal | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Neuchatel, Art. 40 |||||
| Nidwalden | Total constitutional revision | 1,000 signatures | 2 months | Counter proposal allowed | District administrator may propose this initiative |
| Nidwalden | Constitutional amendment initiative | 500 signatures | 2 months | Counter proposal allowed | District administrator may propose this initiative |
| Nidwalden | Legislative initiative | 250 signatures | 2 months | Counter proposal allowed | District administrator and municipalities may propose this initiative |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of Nidwalden, Art. 54 - Art. 54 a. |||||
| Obwalden | Total constitutional revision | 500 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Obwalden | Constitutional amendment initiative | 500 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Obwalden | Legislative initiative | 500 signatures | No limit | Counter proposal allowed | |
| Regulated by: Constitution of Canton of Obwalden, |||||
| St. Gallen | Total constitutional revision | 8,000 signatures | 5 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| St. Gallen | Constitutional amendment initiative | 8,000 signatures | 5 months | Counter proposal allowed | |
| St. Gallen | Legislative initiative | 6,000 signatures | 5 months | Counter proposal allowed | This initiative is a fully formulated draft law. |
| St. Gallen | Unity initiative | 4,000 signatures | 5 months | Counter proposal allowed | This initiative is a general proposal for a law |
| Regulated by: Constitution of the Canton of St. Gallen, Art. 41-43 |||||