Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1978.[1] The first four were held on 26 February on a popular initiative "for more co-decisions of the Federal Assembly and the People on national road making" (rejected), an amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance (approved), a popular initiative to lower the retirement age (rejected) and amending the article on the economic cycle in the Swiss Federal Constitution (approved).[1] The next five referendums were held on 28 May on a law on time (rejected), an amendment to the tariff law (approved), a new federal law banning abortion (rejected), a federal law on promoting research and universities (rejected) and a popular initiative "for 12 Sundays a year free from motor vehicles" (rejected).[2]
A tenth referendum was held on 24 September on creating a new canton named Jura, which was approved. The final set of referendums were held on 3 December on a resolution on dairy farming (approved), an animal protection law (approved), a federal law on security (rejected) and a federal law on vocational education (approved).[2]
Results
February: Popular initiative on road making
| Choice
|
Popular vote
|
Cantons
|
| Votes
|
%
|
Full
|
Half
|
Total
|
| For |
696,501 |
38.7 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
| Against |
1,104,292 |
61.3 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Blank votes |
41,857 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,107 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Total |
1,842,057 |
100 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,821,750 |
48.2 |
– |
– |
–
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
February: Amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
1,192,144 |
65.6
|
| Against |
625,566 |
34.4
|
| Blank votes |
26,482 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,947 |
–
|
| Total |
1,846,139 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,821,750 |
48.3
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
February: Lowering the retirement age
| Choice
|
Popular vote
|
Cantons
|
| Votes
|
%
|
Full
|
Half
|
Total
|
| For |
377,017 |
20.6 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
| Against |
1,451,220 |
79.4 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Blank votes |
17,191 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,811 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Total |
1,847,239 |
100 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,821,750 |
48.3 |
– |
– |
–
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
February: Constitutional amendment on the economic cycle
| Choice
|
Popular vote
|
Cantons
|
| Votes
|
%
|
Full
|
Half
|
Total
|
| For |
1,172,130 |
68.4 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Against |
542,634 |
31.6 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
| Blank votes |
116,578 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
3,025 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Total |
1,834,367 |
100 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,821,750 |
48.0 |
– |
– |
–
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
May: Law on time
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
886,376 |
47.9
|
| Against |
963,862 |
52.1
|
| Blank votes |
28,392 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,324 |
–
|
| Total |
1,879,954 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,835,650 |
49.0
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
May: Amendment to the tariff law
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
971,908 |
54.8
|
| Against |
801,167 |
45.2
|
| Blank votes |
92,832 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,084 |
–
|
| Total |
1,867,991 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,835,650 |
48.7
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
May: Federal law banning abortion
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
559,103 |
31.2
|
| Against |
1,233,149 |
68.8
|
| Blank votes |
79,717 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,543 |
–
|
| Total |
1,874,512 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,835,650 |
48.9
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
792,458 |
43.3
|
| Against |
1,037,020 |
56.7
|
| Blank votes |
44,837 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,566 |
–
|
| Total |
1,875,881 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,835,650 |
48.9
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
May: Popular initiative on 12 car-free Sundays a year
| Choice
|
Popular vote
|
Cantons
|
| Votes
|
%
|
Full
|
Half
|
Total
|
| For |
678,162 |
36.3 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
| Against |
1,191,204 |
63.7 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Blank votes |
13,624 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,367 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Total |
1,884,357 |
100 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,835,650 |
49.1 |
– |
– |
–
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
September: Creation of Jura canton
| Choice
|
Popular vote
|
Cantons
|
| Votes
|
%
|
Full
|
Half
|
Total
|
| For |
1,309,841 |
82.3 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Against |
281,873 |
17.7 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
| Blank votes |
24,377 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,372 |
– |
– |
– |
–
|
| Total |
1,618,463 |
100 |
19 |
6 |
22
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,848,961 |
42.0 |
– |
– |
–
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
December: Dairy farming
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
1,092,586 |
68.5
|
| Against |
502,405 |
31.5
|
| Blank votes |
66,812 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,601 |
–
|
| Total |
1,664,404 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,857,162 |
43.2
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
December: Animal protection law
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
1,339,252 |
81.7
|
| Against |
300,045 |
18.3
|
| Blank votes |
27,717 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,902 |
–
|
| Total |
1,668,916 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,857,162 |
43.3
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
December: Federal law on security
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
723,719 |
44.0
|
| Against |
920,312 |
56.0
|
| Blank votes |
23,294 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
1,914 |
–
|
| Total |
1,669,239 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,857,162 |
43.3
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
December: Federal law on vocational education and training
| Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
| For |
902,379 |
56.0
|
| Against |
707,746 |
44.0
|
| Blank votes |
52,261 |
–
|
| Invalid votes |
2,360 |
–
|
| Total |
1,664,912 |
100
|
| Registered voters/turnout |
3,857,162 |
43.2
|
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver
|
References
- ^ a b Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, pp1925–1926 ISBN 9783832956097
- ^ a b Nohlen & Stöver, p1926