Switzerland launches new code of conduct for signature collections for referendums
Referendum and initiative committees in Switzerland can now sign up to a new code of conduct. The Swiss government claims a decline in cases involving fake signatures since the first criminal complaint was filed 3.5 years ago.
The Federal Chancellery announced on Thursday that the results of the measures already taken are positive for the time being. The number of suspected cases has fallen significantly in recent months. At the beginning of 2024, when the number of suspected cases increased, the government tightened checks on submitted signature lists and raised awareness among committees and authorities.
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According to the Federal Chancellery, the new code of conduct supplements these measures. For example, traceability is to be guaranteed for commercially collected signature lists. Signing up to the code is voluntary. Whether it will be effective depends on the committees. If they implement the standards and practices, the integrity of signature collections will be increased.
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Adapted from German by AI/ac
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