Recall option risks to shorten career of Geneva politicians
Voters in Geneva have won the right to recall elected members of their cantonal government, an option rarely used in Switzerland.
The constitutional amendment was approved by 92% of voters on Sunday, according to official resultsExternal link.
Under the new regulations, a government member can be forced out of office notably if she or he has “lost the confidence of citizens”.
A final decision for a recall lies with voters once the proposal has won a clear majority in the cantonal parliament.
A previous attempt failed in 2012.
The latest proposal was launched three years ago following a scandal about a Geneva government member, Pierre Maudet, who was convicted of accepting perks while in office.
He didn’t win re-election in March this year.
Recall system
The recall system at cantonal level has existed in Switzerland since 1848 but has rarely been used.
As a rule, cases involving politicians’ incompetence or corruption are resolved mainly through legal means, media pressure or internal reorganisation, according to political scientists.
Geneva is one of nine Swiss cantons to introduce a recall mechanism, but the system varies considerably from one canton to the next.
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