Voters endorse labour accord with EU
A key bilateral accord with the European Union on open labour markets has won a clear majority at the ballot box.
Rightwing parties, which forced the nationwide vote, suffered a defeat on Sunday as nearly 60 per cent of voters backed the government and a broad alliance of parties, organisations and the business community.
Official results show 59.6 per cent of the electorate approving a proposal to continue a labour accord with 25 EU states and at the same time extend the agreement to the newest members Bulgaria and Romania.
Turnout was just under 51 per cent, which is above average for nationwide votes in general, but lower than in the last two previous votes on relations with EU – Switzerland's main trading partner.
Opponents of the labour accord only won a majority in four out of the country's 26 cantons.
Urban regions and all of the French-speaking cantons voted in favour, but - as expected - the Italian-speaking Ticino and three cantons in the majority German-speaking part came out against.
The government had described the labour accord as crucial for the Swiss economy. Rejection would increase insecurity for the country's key export sector, Economics Minister Doris Leuthard warned ahead of Sunday's ballot.
Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey stressed that stability and good relations with the EU were vital in times of economic uncertainty.
The government pointed out the experience of the past six years had shown the importance of open labour markets for Swiss companies.
With 490 million consumers, the EU is Switzerland's most important trading partner.
Loss of sovereignty
Rightwing parties had argued the labour accord - and in particular its extension to Bulgaria and Romania – would lead to lower salaries, more jobless, more crime and loss of sovereignty.
The Swiss People's Party criticised the vote as undemocratic, because two issues had been lumped into one ballot.
Parliament last year voted to combine the vote on extension to the two southeastern European countries with the continuation of the labour accord with the other 25 EU members.
A majority in parliament said the two issues had to be taken together as Brussels would not tolerate discrimination against Bulgaria and Romania.
The run-up to Sunday's ballot was marked by mutual accusations and a war of words over the likely impact of the vote result.
Both sides invested considerable funds in newspaper advertisements and poster campaigns. Cabinet ministers also had a strong presence in the media.
The rightwing Swiss People's Party, which opposes the labour accord, had some prominent dissidents among its ranks. The party leadership initially was against forcing a referendum, but later changed its stance.
swissinfo, Urs Geiser
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SWITZERLAND AND EU
Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it has concluded 20 major bilateral agreements with the 27-nation bloc.
There are also about 100 secondary bilateral accords between Bern and Brussels.
Negotiations are underway for a bilateral treaty aimed at regulating access to cross-border electricity and a free trade accord on agriculture.
In 1992 voters rejected a plan to join the European Economic Area (EEA), a halfway house to full EU membership.
VOTES ON EU AGREEMENTS SINCE 1992
CONTEXT
Sunday's ballot is the third on a labour accord with EU in nine years.
In 2005 a 56% majority approved the extension of the treaty to ten new member states mainly in eastern Europe.
The first vote in 2000 on the labour accord, which is part of a package of seven bilateral treaties, won a 67% majority at the ballot box.
KEY FACTS
Yes: 59.6%
No: 40.4%
Turnout: 50.9%
LINKS
- Swiss EU Integration Office
- Labour treaty with the EU - Federal Migration Office/State Secretariat for Economic Affairs/Integration Office (German, French, Italian, Romansh)
- European Union
- Supporters of EU labour accord (German, French)
- Opponents of EU labour accord (German)
- Vote EU labour accord - dossier
Comments
I think it is a shame that such political & social hate still exists in Switzerland. But then again, why would Swiss people, who want to consider themselves different, really be so different after all? I do find it funny that Switzerland consistently attempts to insulate itself from other countries when it is the people of those and other countries that made Switzerland the country that it is. Most people treat it like the USA.......great place to work and make a lot of money, but when time to re-invest or retire, they usually choose to return home. So to all the unenlightened in Switzerland, give it a rest. Step out of the dark ages and realize this is a global community and there is a bigger world than the local villages & farms that you live in.
Now I guess we are all in it together. The not so great europeean human cocktail working hand in hand serving the Beast(the Economy) and its bastard son Growth! At all costs,at any costs, in an orgy of consumerism.We will destroy our country,its environment,fauna and flora and finally ourselves.But who cares! Short term is King! Apres moi le Deluge!
TYRANNY. Those people are pure evil. Handing over power of a sovereign state to the elite Rothschilds who financed both sides over every major war for 200 YEARS!
The EU Controllers are NOT ELECTED. And they are NOT SWISS!