On Sunday (11/30/2025), the Swiss categorically rejected a proposal that would force women to perform national service in the army, civil protection teams or other forms, as is already mandatory for men.
The official results of the referendum, with vote counting continuing in some regions, showed that more than half of Switzerland’s cantons rejected the initiative by a large margin.
This means that the consultation has failed, because approval of the proposal requires a majority of voters and cantons.
Taxes to fund the fight against climate change were also rejected
Voters also strongly rejected a separate proposal to impose a new national tax on individual gifts or inheritances worth more than 50 million francs ($62 million).
These revenues were intended for investments to address the impact of climate change and help Switzerland achieve its goal of reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
National service faces opposition, even in the face of the Russian threat
Supporters of the national service plan hope it will enhance social cohesion by creating job opportunities in areas such as environmental protection, food security and elderly care.
However, lawmakers opposed it, mainly for reasons of cost and concerns that it would hurt the economy by taking many young people out of the labor force.
The national service proposal also came at a time when other European countries are looking for ways to bolster their armed forces due to growing concerns about the potential threat from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
p ap/efe/Reuters