Right-wingers force vote on bilateral treaty with European Union

Two small right-wing parties in Switzerland have formally challenged the bilateral treaty with the European Union, forcing a nationwide vote on the issue later this year.

Two small right-wing parties in Switzerland have formally challenged the bilateral treaty with the European Union, forcing a nationwide vote on the issue later this year.

The parties, the Swiss Democrats and the Lega dei Ticinese, say they handed in some 70,000 signatures at the federal chancellery in Berne. If 50,000 of those signatures are declared valid, a national vote will have to be called.

The parties had until the beginning of this month to collect the signatures. The federal government has already penned in May 21 as the likely date for the vote.

Analysts give the referendum little chance of success, but describe it as embarrassing at a time when the government is lobbying EU leaders to ensure that the their national parliaments ratify the treaty.

In Switzerland, three of the four parties in government support the treaty. The fourth party, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, is generally opposed to closer integration with Europe, but has stopped short of formally launching a referendum itself.

The treaty, which is made up of nine dossiers covering everything from free movement of labour to transport issues, was ratified by the Swiss parliament last September. It also needs to be ratified by all 15 EU member states.

From staff and wire reports