Fribourg and Schwyz to become more politically transparent
Political parties and organisations in cantons Schwyz and Fribourg will in future have to declare their finances during campaigns for elections and votes.
In a surprise and very close result in Schwyz in central Switzerland, 50.28% of voters – a difference of around 300 votes – on Sunday approved the “Transparency Initiative” put forward by the leftwing Young Socialists SchwyzExternal link.
In doing so, a majority of voters ignored the recommendation of the cantonal government and parliament.
In canton Fribourg, in the French-speaking part of the country, 68.5% of voters backed a similar initiative on Sunday.
Rules for party campaign funding already exist in cantons Ticino, Geneva and Neuchâtel. At a federal level, an initiative was handed in in October; the government rejected it, but it will most likely go to a nationwide vote.
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