Switzerland Today – vote edition

Dear Swiss Abroad,

If you thought Swiss politics was always predictable and by-the-book, think again. This Sunday was full of suspense and unexpected twists.

While the polls reckoned the vote on the electronic identity (e-ID) would be a sure thing, it ended up passing by the narrowest of margins. Meanwhile, the rental tax vote – expected to be too close to call – turned out to be a clear win from the very first projections.

In today’s special edition of our briefing, we break down what happened and what these votes could mean for the country’s future.

Enjoy the read!

This content was published on September 28, 2025 - 19:11

3 minutes

I oversee the distribution and social media channels for the English department and write news articles in English. I studied modern languages, English, and Russian literature, then completed an MA in international journalism in Cardiff. After that, I worked for BBC Education in Manchester for a few years before moving to Switzerland.

Photo of people looking at a smartphone — Keystone / Peter Schneider

Just over 20,000 votes tipped the balance in favour of the e-ID

Until around 4pm, pollsters and analysts were holding their breath, as the vote on introducing an electronic proof of identity (e-ID) looked too close to call, and at times even on track to be rejected.

Few saw this coming. The latest opinion polls had shown broad support: according to a survey on September 17 by gfs.bern for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), 59% of Swiss were in favour, with just 38% opposed.

In the end, it was the votes from Zurich – the last canton to report – that tipped the balance. The final result: 50.4% in favour, 49.6% against.

One possible explanation for the unexpectedly narrow win is that it was a side effect of Sunday’s other major vote, on abolishing the rental-value tax. The promise of lower taxes mobilised voters in conservative and rural cantons, where many homeowners stood to benefit directly. Their turnout may have influenced the outcome of the e-ID vote.

My colleagues Katy Romy, Samuel Jaberg and Balz Rigendinger have identified five key lessons from this vote.

Photo of house with Swiss flag — Keystone / Peter Schneider

Switzerland scraps rental tax for homeowners

Support for changing property ownership taxes was clear by early afternoon: the Swiss backed the move to abolish the tax homeowners pay on the property they live in, known as the imputed rental-value tax.

This change only became possible after voters approved a new cantonal tax on second homes. When parliament first proposed scrapping the rental-value tax, several cantons in mountain regions pushed back, as they rely heavily on revenue from second homes. To win their support, lawmakers introduced a provision allowing cantons to levy their own taxes on second homes: a compromise that has now been accepted.

In German-speaking cantons, the yes vote won convincingly almost everywhere, with support nearing 70%. In contrast, around 60% of voters in French-speaking Switzerland rejected the reform.

Sunday’s result came as something of a surprise in a country where roughly 60% of people rent. The reform mainly benefits homeowners, particularly those with low mortgage debt.

Pay rise for teachers, leaf blower ban and voting rights for foreigners: the local votes that made national headlines

Sunday also saw some eye-catching local votes across Swiss cantons.

In canton Schwyz, voters approved a pay rise for teachers to help tackle staff shortages in primary schools. Around 53% backed the proposal to raise starting salaries for full-time primary school teachers from CHF78,500 ($98,578) to CHF87,100 a year.

Meanwhile, in French-speaking canton Vaud, 56% of voters rejected a proposal to halve the residency requirement for foreigners before they can vote at the municipal level.

And in Zurich, a clear majority of 61.7% voted to silence petrol-powered leaf blowers, effectively banning them. Battery-powered models will also face new restrictions: they can only be used between October and December, with exceptions allowed in special cases, such as cleaning up after the Street Parade.