However, a more far-reaching initiative by a conservative group failed to win a majority in the House on Wednesday. The other parliamentary chamber, the Senate is still to discuss the proposal before it goes to a nationwide vote at a later date.
The Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (Cins) wants voters to have the final say on all international treaties.
Supporters, mainly among the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, argued it was vital to extend direct democracy to foreign policy to stop moves towards closer international integration.
Opponents are afraid of the people’s will, they argued.
However, a majority in the house said the initiative was unrealistic and would damage direct democracy.
Several speakers argued it was impossible to ask voters to decide on too many issues and it was still possible to force ballot box decisions by collecting enough signatures for a referendum.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga conceded that there were loopholes in existing laws. She called for the introduction of mandatory votes on international treaties which would require a constitutional amendment.
The Cins initiative was launched after rightwingers lost a challenge of a bilateral treaty on closer cooperation between Switzerland and the European Union on police and asylum issues – known as the Schengen and Dublin accords – in 2005.
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Isolationists seek more say on treaties
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A conservative pressure group, Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (Cins), handed in the necessary signatures to the Federal Chancellery on Tuesday. The group said the initiative was aimed at boosting democratic rights. “Switzerland’s independence has to be strengthened because the government has been caving in to pressure and threats by other states and…
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Considered a cornerstone of Swiss democracy, the initiative system allows any citizen to call for a vote on any issue providing they collect at least 100,000 signatures in support of it. Originally intended as a means for citizens to propose changes to the constitution, people’s initiatives are perhaps now the most effective instrument stakeholders have…
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A proposal on legalising same-sex partnerships was also approved – with 58 per cent in favour. Final results showed 54.6 per cent had voted for membership of Schengen/Dublin, with 58.03 per cent supporting a legal basis for gay partnerships. A majority of cantons came out in favour of the gay-rights legislation, with opposition concentrated in…
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Alliance Sud said the money set aside by Switzerland for the cohesion funds to support Europe’s weaker economies, should come from other sources. Switzerland agreed to pay SFr1 billion ($840 million) towards the cohesion funds over a five-year period when it signed the second series of bilateral agreements with the EU in May 2004. But…
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Switzerland has a turbulent relationship with the European Union. While many Swiss would be happy to join the EU, there are even more who are not interested as nationwide votes have shown in the past. (Keystone)
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