1978 Swiss referendums

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[edit]

February: Popular initiative on road making[edit]

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	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[edit]

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[edit]

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	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[edit]

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

May: Federal law promoting research and universities[edit]

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[edit]

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	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[edit]

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

^ ^a ^b Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, pp1925–1926 ISBN 9783832956097
^ ^a ^b Nohlen & Stöver, p1926

[NS-1] Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, pp1925–1926 ISBN 9783832956097

[N1-2] Nohlen & Stöver, p1926

[1]

[2]