Swiss votes on March 8: what’s at stake?

Dear readers,

The Swiss political year is off to a flying start: four issues will be put to the vote on March 8.

Among them, the “CHF200 is enough!” initiative is already causing a stir. Supported by the Swiss People's Party, the Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts and the youth section of the Radical-Liberal Party, the initiative wants to reduce the annual licence fee of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) from CHF335 ($430) to CHF200 and to exempt all businesses from paying it. This issue also concerns the Swiss Abroad, since half of Swissinfo's funding comes from the revenue from these fees.

Another subject that promises to be hotly debated is the introduction of individual taxation for married couples. The aim of the proposal is to put an end to the tax disadvantages of marriage, but opponents believe it would create new inequalities.

Two other items on the agenda are an initiative to guarantee that cash will remain in Switzerland by enshrining it in the Constitution, and a text calling for the creation of a climate fund.

This newsletter gives you the keys to understanding these four issues and voting in full knowledge of the facts.

Happy reading and best wishes for the year ahead.

Our explainers:

We’re interested in your opinion:

The main political issues this year:

An overview of the international media situation:

Our voting guides: