Swiss voters reject environment, pension reforms
GENEVA—Swiss voters rejected proposals to bolster biodiversity protections as well as a pensions reform in twin referendums on Sunday, according to projected results.
Switzerland may be associated with pristine natural landscapes, but environmentalists have sounded the alarm over its endangered ecosystems and were urging voters to back broader biodiversity protections.
The proposal failed, however, with only 37 percent of votes in favor and a turnout of 45.2 percent, according to provisional results reported by federal authorities around 1430 GMT on Sunday.
Voters also rejected a planned reform of the financing of the wealthy Alpine nation’s pension system, the results indicated.
Nature reform proposal
The first proposal had the backing of a number of environmental protection organizations, including Pro Natura and BirdLife.
They warned that Switzerland’s biodiversity “has declined.”
The cantons of Basel-City and Geneva were the only ones to back the proposal.
The Swiss Union for Arts and Crafts said it was “relieved” that the initiative had been rejected and hailed voters’ “foresight.”
It claimed that if it had passed, the reform could have imperiled electricity and food production.
Swiss voters also rejected a government-backed reform of pension financing, the projections indicated.
Federal authorities reported that 67.1 percent of voters had opposed it, with the no vote prevailing in every canton and a turnout rate of 45 percent.
Bern’s proposed reform would require employers and workers to raise their contributions into the obligatory occupational funds.
But the unions who demanded the reform be put to a referendum charged that it would force people to contribute more even as they would see their pension payments shrink.
