The government has won a resounding victory in nationwide ballots on the militia army, measures to fight epidemics and a liberalisation of nighttime shopping at petrol station shops.
Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said the overwhelming rejection of proposal by the pacifist Switzerland without an Army group to scrap conscription and introduce a professional army of volunteers was a vote of confidence in the current militia system.
«It is a yes to the army and to more security,» he told a news conference on Sunday.
He said he was cautiously optimistic about a vote next year on the purchase of 22 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden, given the 73 per cent majority in favour of conscription.
The pacifist group, which had collected enough signatures for the ballot on conscription said the disappointing outcome of the vote was to be expected.
«The army is obviously part of the Switzerland’s identity. Emotional aspects held the upper hand over facts,» Nikolai Prawdzic said.
The pacifists had argued the current army was outdated and too expensive.
Social Democratic Party which supported the initiative said Sunday’s result must not be taken as a blanket approval of the army. It said reforms remained necessary to adapt the structure of the armed forces and reduce their size and costs.
Christophe Darbellay, a parliamentarian for the centre-right Christian Democratic Party and leading member of pro-army committee, said the result was a slap in the face of the pacifist group.
On the agenda
The militia army remain high on the political agenda. Voters are likely to have the final say next year on the purchase of 22 fighter jets, and parliament and the government are at odds over the army budget.
For his part, political scientist Claude Longchamp of the GfS Bern research and polling institute sees the pacifist group might on the wane.
It is the third time in 25 years voters rejected similar proposals by the pacifist group.
The vote in Switzerland comes on the back of a non-binding ballot in neighbouring Austria, which endorsed conscription in January.
However, most other European states have scrapped or suspended mandatory military service in recent years.
Under the Swiss constitution every able-bodied male Swiss citizen has to serve in the Swiss militia army from the age of 18. Exceptions are allowed for those opting for a civilian service.
Shop opening hours
A legal amendment to ease restrictions for nighttime shopping at petrol station shops on motorways and busy roads in urban areas passed with a 12 per cent per cent margin on Sunday.
Opponents, notably in the French-speaking part of the country, garnered 44 per cent of votes.
An alliance of trade unions and church groups had tried to challenge a parliamentary decision, granting shops the right to sell the whole range of their products overnight. Under current law, certain goods had to be locked away between 1am and 5am.
Opponents had argued a liberalisation of the labour law opened the floodgates for the introduction of 24-hour working day in retail sector.
Labour standards
Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann welcomed voters’ approval as it would do away with a «bizarre situation» and take into account the needs of consumers.
There was no fundamental change in regulations on nighttime and Sunday work protecting the rights of employees, he added.
The Sunday Alliance group, which had challenged the law, conceded defeat saying they will take the economics minister at his word.
Vania Alleva of the Unia trade union has called for a withdrawl of further plans in parliament to ease labour standards.
Several proposals are pending to extend regular shop opening hours and to allow small shops to operate around the clock.
Vaccination
Commenting the outcome of a vote on a reform of the epidemics law, Interior Minister Alain Berset reiterated that no citizens can be forced to get a vaccination.
«There is no major change compared with the current law. The amendment allows us to improve the protection of the population against epidemics and contagious diseases,» he said.
Under emergency situation the law foresees making vaccinations mandatory for certain people, notably those working in the healthcare sector.
The amendment gives the federal authorities more say over vaccination campaigns, despite opposition by a diverse group of critics headed by a holistic therapist.
Turnout was just over 46 per cent. Pollsters say the level is slightly above average and is surprising, given rather low-key campaigns in the run-up to Sunday.