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Polling: Covid-19 law looks set to win approval of Swiss voters

The most recent polling figures indicate that Switzerland’s contentious coronavirus legislation will be accepted in a referendum on November 28th.

Published: 26 November 2021 10:26 CET
Updated: 27 November 2021 05:12 CET
Switzerland’s Covid-19 law is at stake in the November 28 referendum.
A woman in the French-speaking part of Switzerland is casting her ballot by mail. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

The issue of government’s role in managing the pandemic has been stirring much controversy in Switzerland, leading to a second referendum on this issue in the span of four months.

The Covid Act, which grants the federal government broad powers to manage the pandemic, was already passed by a previous referendum on June 13th.

On Sunday, the voters are called to weigh in on the version of the law revised by parliament on March 19th relating to the Covid certificate, which Switzerland started to issue on June 7th to people who have been fully vaccinated, recovered from coronavirus, or tested negative for the disease.

READ MORE: What’s at stake in Switzerland’s Covid referendum on November 28th?

Supporters of the law, including most political parties as well as the Federal Council, say the certificate requirement makes it possible to avoid closures and bans in the event of a new outbreak of the pandemic,  and lessens the pressure on the health care system.

In addition, the certificate is essential for travel abroad.

Opponents, on the other hand, claim the certificate requirement that is currently in place until at least January 24th, 2022, creates discrimination and division within society, implicitly forcing vaccination and  “state access to our body”.

Even though the opponents have stepped up their campaign in recent weeks by demonstrating in the streets in cities across Switzerland, it appears that their cause will not win the majority of votes at the ballot box.

 An unauthorised protest against coronavirus measures in Bern. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

This is what the latest polls show

Supporters of the Covid law are maintaining a stable and comfortable lead, with more than 60 percent of voters in favour of the legislation, according to a survey published by Swiss Broadcasting Corporation last week.

A similar result comes out of a poll released by Tamedia media group in mid-November: 68 percent of respondents said they are in favour of the law, while 31 percent are against.

“If you break it down by various parties, you get a very clear picture”, Tamedia said, pointing out that the smallest proportion of supporters, 36 percent, are in the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) .

All the other parties are clearly in favour of the law: 74 percent of The Liberals (PLR), 76 percent of Greens, 81 percent of Center, 85 percent of Social Democrats, and 88 percent of Green Liberals.

Both polls also indicate support for another issue voted on in the Sunday referendum — a proposal to improve working conditions for nurses.

This initiative is predicted to be accepted by 67 percent of voters in the SSR poll, and 72 percent according to Tamedia’s.

READ MORE: Referendum: Why are the Swiss voting on nursing conditions?

The Sunday referendum could reach one of the highest turnouts in Swiss history, with members of both the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ camps expected to vote in record numbers.

Based on early voting by mail, a 75-percent turnout rate  is expected, which would be just a few percentage points lower than the highest mark ever for a referendum in Swiss history:  78.7 percent for the referendum on European Economic Area membership in 1992. 

READ MORE: Switzerland braces for ‘highest ever’ turnout ahead of Covid referendum

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POLITICS

Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar

Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic relations for decades, but before Iran's attack on Israel they had direct communications through "the Swiss channel".

Published: 15 April 2024 23:19 CEST
Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar

Switzerland represents US interests in Iran, and at times of soaring tensions its role as go- between takes on heightened importance.

The Swiss foreign ministry refused Monday to divulge what actions the country had taken in connection with Iran’s weekend attack on Israel.

But US and Iranian officials alluded to the important role Switzerland was playing as an intermediary.

As Washington engaged in whirlwind efforts prior to the attack to prepare for the expected violence, it sent “a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel”, a senior administration official told AFP.

Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff, was more explicit, telling state television that “we sent a message to America through the Swiss embassy that if it cooperates with Israel in their next potential actions, their bases will not be secure”.

 Maintaining relations 

Switzerland, renowned for its neutrality, has been representing US interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations with Tehran after the 1980 hostage crisis, a year after the Iranian revolution.

In its role as the so-called protecting power, Switzerland has for decades allowed the two feuding nations to maintain a minimum of diplomatic and consular relations.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles all consular affairs between the United States and Iran, including passport requests, altering civil status and consular protection for US citizens in Iran.

Under the protecting power mandate, Switzerland allows “states to maintain low-level relations and provide consular protection to nationals of the other state concerned”, the foreign ministry explains on its website.

“Switzerland can either offer to act as a go-between on its own initiative or can fulfil this function at the request of the parties concerned, provided that all those involved agree,” it added.

Switzerland has often had to play the go-between role.

The country has on several occasions in recent years mediated in prisoner exchanges between Iran and the United States.

Iran’s interests in the United States are meanwhile represented by Pakistan.

Switzerland also exercises a range of other protecting power mandates.

It represents Iran’s interests in Egypt and Canada.

And it represented Iran’s interests in Saudi Arabia for five years before the two countries resumed diplomatic relations last year.

Saudi has not yet formally terminated Switzerland’s protecting power mandate, so Bern still handles its consular services in Iran.

And until 2015, it represented US interests in Cuba and Cuban interests in the United States.

Switzerland first acted as a protecting power in the 19th century. It looked after the interests of the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Grand Duchy of Baden in France during the 1870-71 Franco- Prussian War.

During World War II, Switzerland’s neutral status paved the way for it to be the main protecting power, representing the interests of 35 states, including the major warring powers, with more than 200 individual mandates.

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