Switzerland employsmandatory referendums.[1]
This type of referendum is utilized after an item has been passed by parliament and is then put to a vote. In contrast, anoptional referendum is only held after a certain number of citizens or cantons request it.
At the federal level, Article 140, paragraph 1[2] of theFederal Constitution mandates compulsory voting on revisions to the Federal Constitution, the collective security organization membership (e.g.,NATO), supranational communities (e.g., theEU), federal laws that lack a constitutional basis and are valid for more than a year (an emergency procedure). Article 140 paragraph 2[3] of the Federal Constitution mandates that only the people vote on certain matters, primarily as a component of the procedure for the comprehensive revision of the Federal Constitution.[4]
At the cantonal level, each federated state's constitution regulates which matters necessitate a mandatory referendum. Consequently, there exist various scenarios. Nonetheless, all cantons must subject the revision of their constitution to a mandatory referendum (article 51[5]). Some states also subject all state laws to a compulsory referendum, as well as any expense that exceeds a certain amount (referred to as a "financial" referendum).
| Mandatory referendums[6][7] | 1848-1950 | 1951-1980 | 1981-2020 (mar.) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepted | 43 | 58 | 73 | 174 |
| Rejected | 20 | 17 | 29 | 66 |
| Total | 63 | 75 | 102 | 240 |
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