Nearly 69% of voters on Sunday came out in favour of a parliamentary proposal, rejecting a challenge by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and the group, Geneva Citizens ‘Movement, according to the cantonal chancelleryExternal link.
The opponents had argued that the financial aid was too generous and would attract potential welfare beneficiaries, notably illegal workers.
The aid consists of a maximum allowance of CHF4,000 ($4,295) per month and is aimed at people working in the events and theatre sectors as well as domestic workers on call who haven’t been able to receive financial help from the cantonal authorities.
The total cost is estimated at CHF15 million.
After the coronavirus-induced shutdown, images of people queuing for food parcels in Geneva caused a shock and attracted public attention in Switzerland and abroad.
No voting rights
Meanwhile, in a ballot in the mountain resort of St Moritz, voters threw out a proposal to give residents with a foreign passport a say in local matters.
Two-thirds of voters rejected the proposal by the local council and parliament, according to official resultsExternal link.
Only one in three municipalities in canton Graubünden grant foreign nationals the right to vote.
Seven of the 26 Swiss cantons, notably in the French-speaking part of the country, have introduced the right to vote on local issues.
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A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
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The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
Ecological status of Swiss streams insufficient according to study
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Pesticide use and obstructions of waterways have a particularly negative impact on sensitive organisms, completely absent in 70% of streams analysed.
Train line between Brig and Domodossola interrupted
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One day after a derailment approximately 15 kilometres from the Swiss border, BLS is running buses for passengers between Preglia and Domodossola, in Italy.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
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The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
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Switzerland is three-quarters of a democracy
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Just three out of four people in Switzerland have a Swiss passport, meaning that a quarter of taxpaying residents have no political voice.
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Nearly 600 people took part in the vote on October 15, according to the Geneva Association for Political RightsExternal link (known as DPGE in French). About half of the participants used the internet while the others went to polling stations set up in five municipalities in canton Geneva. The final result showed 88% of voters…
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Over a million Swiss residents were struggling financially before coronavirus. The pandemic threatens to push many of them into precarious situations.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.