Swiss voters have recently passed a government plan aimed at increasing domestic renewable energy sources. This decision will facilitate the construction of solar and wind power plants in the Swiss Alps and ensure that subsidies for renewable energy continue. Early results suggest that the proposal will be officially approved. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party had challenged this plan through a referendum after it was initially passed by parliament.
In addition to supporting renewable energy, voters also rejected a proposal by the Social Democrats to limit personal expenses for health insurance. This decision will help save the budget from potentially incurring a significant hit of up to $5 billion per year. Leading up to the vote, polls suggested that the decision on the health insurance proposal would be a close call, with concerns about additional fiscal expenditure influencing voters’ decisions.
A successful plebiscite earlier in the year to increase pensions has put pressure on the government to secure funding, with a potential increase in value-added tax being considered to cover the costs. Two other proposals on the ballot involved Covid-related initiatives – one to prevent mandatory vaccinations and another to reduce the number of health treatments covered by mandatory insurance. Both of these proposals were rejected by voters.
