Switzerland’s recent summer parliamentary session marked a distinct shift from a period of political quietude, signaling the return of vigorous national debates. Lawmakers honed in on several crucial people’s initiatives, setting the stage for significant public votes in the near future. This resurgence follows a relatively subdued period, highlighted by the low-turnout defeat of the “environmental responsibility initiative” in February.
While domestic politics are heating up, Switzerland remains acutely aware of the global turmoil. US President Donald Trump’s actions continue to reshape the world order, the Middle East is caught in escalating conflict, Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukraine, and Europe strengthens its defenses.
A moment of rare unity emerged during the session’s first week, prompted by the devastating glacier collapse in Blatten. This disaster, which wiped out a Swiss mountain village, brought parliamentarians together in a “campfire moment,” acknowledging the limits of even Switzerland’s advanced technical expertise against the forces of nature. However, this unity was fleeting, quickly giving way to partisan maneuvering.
A major catalyst for renewed debate was the federal government’s publication of the new package of agreements with the European Union. This reignited a three-decade-old national discussion about the balance between Switzerland’s political independence and its economic access to the European market. While the full text of the EU treaties revealed no major surprises, it has undeniably reignited Swiss political drama, which is expected to continue until the referendums in 2028. The lack of initial public attention to these details has been notable.
Internally, major parties are grappling with their stances. The free-market centre-right Radical-Liberal Party is divided on Europe and is seeking a new president following Thierry Burkart’s resignation, facing pressure from the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and public skepticism about the economy. The left-wing Social Democratic Party also has internal adjustments to make on European policy.
The third week of the session saw parliament formally propose several popular initiatives for voter consideration. The Senate rejected the inheritance tax initiative from the Social Democratic Party’s youth wing and the “citizens’ service initiative.” The People’s Party’s neutrality initiative and the Left-Greens’ climate fund initiative also failed to gain support in parliament. While none of these are final, they will be put before voters within the next year, with debates on neutrality and inheritance tax promising to be particularly intense.
A preview of future hostilities was evident in the House of Representatives debate on the “halving initiative,” which seeks to reduce the radio and television license fee for Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), the parent company of Swissinfo, from CHF335 to CHF200 per year. Despite a heated but respectful debate with a record number of speakers, the initiative was soundly defeated in the House and will now move to the Senate. This issue, impacting voters’ pockets and involving a cultural institution, has strong mobilization potential and will be put to a public vote in 2026.
Another indicator of upcoming debates is “e-collecting,” a system requiring an electronic identity (e-ID), which will be subject to a nationwide vote on September 28. Proponents argue e-collecting enhances the safety and reliability of organizing popular initiatives and referendums, particularly relevant for Swiss citizens abroad who would gain easier participation. While a broad alliance supports digital identity to protect signature collection from fraud, the People’s Party expresses skepticism, with Benjamin Fischer stating, “Popular initiatives and referendums are not internet surveys.” The e-collecting campaign, officially launched towards the end of the summer session, will fuel debate throughout the summer break.