- Title: SWISS-VOTE/REAX Swiss voters reject immigration, gold referendums
- Date: 30th November 2014
- Summary: BERN, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 30) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FEDERAL PALAIS VARIOUS OF ANTI- 'ECOPOP' COMMITTEE MEMBERS CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORY GREEN PARTY MP BALTHASAR GLAETTLI TALKING WITH PEOPLE (CENTRE) SCREEN SHOWING RESULTS OF REFERENDUMS (SOUNDBITE) (English) GREEN PARTY MP, BALTHAZAR GRAETTLI, SAYING: "So I am very much relieved I have to say so, because the outcome wasn't clear at all beforehand and now it's a very strong 'no' and the referendum really didn't pass, it made just like 25 percent of the vote, so it's a clear 'no'. It's a clear 'no' to the right-wing tendencies of environmental protection but it is also a clear 'no' to the isolation of Switzerland." GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 30) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING BERN, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 30) (REUTERS) ECOPOP INITIATIVE'S SPOKESWOMAN ANITA MESSERE TALKING ON CELLPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) ECOPOP INITIATIVE'S SPOKESWOMAN, ANITA MESSERE, SAYING: "Indeed, it's a bitter defeat, 70 percent of the voters rejected the initiative, that means seven out of ten, that's huge. I didn't expect such a Putin-like result, but it is the case, we must acknowledge it." MESSERE TALKING ON CELLPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) ECOPOP INITIATIVE'S SPOKESWOMAN, ANITA MESSERE, SAYING: "In Switzerland, whether they are Swiss or foreigners, 40 percent of the people face difficulties making ends meet at the end of the month, and 60 percent who have a job live pretty well. These 60 percent greatly fear falling into the 40% category, and it's really easy to motivate them when it comes to their wallets, and this is what motivates choices in most referendums. It is all about talking to people's wallets. It works better than talking to people's brains, hearts, or stomachs."
- Embargoed: 15th December 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Switzerland
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA2KLFJF8D73UDNDKEQ2LW413Q6
- Story Text: Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal on Sunday (November 30) that would have imposed strict curbs on immigration, in what is seen as a result that will strengthen Swiss ties with the European Union.
The referendum dubbed the 'Ecopop' initiate, asked voters to decide whether to cut annual immigration by three-quarters from current levels, with the aim of reducing the strain that high levels of immigration have put on Switzerland's natural resources.
The measures reflect a growing sense that Switzerland is under siege by foreign workers eroding its Alpine culture and trading partners who have insisted in recent years that the Swiss dismantle their business model based on banking secrecy.
Preliminary results showed around 75 percent of voters rejected the proposal, much to the relief of Green Party MP Balthazar Graettli.
"So I am very much relieved I have to say so, because the outcome wasn't clear at all beforehand and now it's a very strong 'no' and the referendum really didn't pass, it made just like 25 percent of the vote, so it's a clear 'no'. It's a clear 'no' to the right-wing tendencies of environmental protection but it is also a clear 'no' to the isolation of Switzerland," he said.
The proposal which would have capped the number of immigrants at just 0.2 percent of the resident population or the equivalent of 16,000 people per year, has been seen as a proxy vote on Switzerland's raft of treaties with the EU, its biggest trading partner.
A spokeswoman for the 'Ecopop' campaign said she had no idea voters would be so strongly against the idea.
"Indeed, it's a bitter defeat, 70 percent of the voters rejected the initiative, that means seven out of ten, that's huge. I didn't expect such a Putin-like result, but it is the case, we must acknowledge it," Ecopop initiative spokeswoman, Anita Messere, said.
A disappointed Messere said she had believed the anti-immigration proposal reflected the economic woes of some of those in living in Switzerland.
"In Switzerland, whether they are Swiss or foreigners, 40 percent of the people face difficulties making ends meet at the end of the month, and 60 percent who have a job live pretty well. These 60 percent greatly fear falling into the 40% category, and it's really easy to motivate them when it comes to their wallets, and this is what motivates choices in most referendums. It is all about talking to people's wallets. It works better than talking to people's brains, hearts, or stomachs," she said.
Had it been accepted, the initiative would have torpedoed the Swiss government's attempts to salvage its treaties with the EU, which are conditional on Switzerland's commitment to the free movement of labour, hanging in limbo after the approval of a previous vote to limit immigration in February.
A second referendum which asked voters whether Switzerland's National Bank (SNB) should boost its gold reserves also failed to secure a winning vote.
The "Save our Swiss gold" initiative, proposed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party out of concern the central bank has sold too much of its gold in the past, was rejected by 77 percent of voters, said Swiss broadcaster SRF.
The measure would have compelled the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to boost its gold reserves to 20 percent of its assets from around eight percent currently, and banned it from ever selling the metal, threatening its ability to defend a 1.20 euro cap on the Swiss franc imposed at the height of the euro crisis.
The central bank would have had to buy up gold as well as euros when intervening to weaken its currency, potentially casting doubt on the viability of its cap policy.
A third set of proposals to scrap one of Switzerland's biggest tax perks for expatriates was also defeated.
Switzerland's system of direct democracy gives citizens the right to force popular votes if they can gather enough signatures of support. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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