Overview
- Final results show 84.2% of voters rejected mandatory national service for women, with a majority of cantons also voting no, defeating the Civic Duty initiative.
- More than 78% voted down the climate-focused inheritance tax, which sought a 50% levy on fortunes above 50 million Swiss francs to fund ecological programs.
- The government and parliament opposed both proposals, arguing they would be expensive and could prompt wealthy residents to leave, a risk highlighted by business figures such as Peter Spuhler.
- Switzerland’s current system conscripts about 35,000 men annually at roughly 1 billion francs, and officials estimated extending service to women would roughly double headcount and cost.
- Both measures reached the ballot through citizen petitions under Switzerland’s direct democracy rules, and backers of the civic duty plan signaled they will keep pressing the case for broader national service.