Switzerland, national Popular or citizens initiative and counter-proposal [PCR+] - Teilrevison der Verfassung
General Typology
- Instrument
- Popular or citizens initiative and authorities counter-proposal [PCI+]
- Location
- Switzerland
- Political level
- national
- Local Name:
- Teilrevison der Verfassung
- Normative Level:
- constitutional
- Legally Binding:
- yes
- Legally Defined:
-
Art. 139 Popular initiative requesting a partial revision of the Federal Constitution in specific terms
1 Any 100,000 persons eligible to vote may within 18 months of the official publication of their initiative request a partial revision of the Federal Constitution.
2 A popular initiative for the partial revision of the Federal Constitution may take the form of a general proposal or of a specific draft of the provisions proposed.
3 If the initiative fails to comply with the requirements of consistency of form, and of subject matter, or if it infringes mandatory provisions of international law, the Federal
Assembly shall declare it to be invalid in whole or in part.
4 If the Federal Assembly is in agreement with an initiative in the form of a general proposal, it shall draft the partial revision on the basis of the initiative and submit it to the vote of the People and the Cantons. If the Federal Assembly rejects the initiative, it shall submit it to a vote of the People; the People shall decide whether the initiative should be adopted. If they vote in favour, the Federal Assembly shall draft the corresponding bill.
5 An initiative in the form of a specific draft shall be submitted to the vote of the People and the Cantons. The Federal Assembly shall recommend whether the initiative should be adopted or rejected. It may submit a counter-proposal to the initiative.Art. 139b Procedure applicable to an initiative and counter-proposal
1 The People shall vote on the initiative and the counter-proposal at the same time.
2 The People may vote in favour of both proposals. In response to the third question, they may indicate the proposal that they prefer if both are accepted.
3 If in response to the third question one proposal to amend the Constitution receives more votes from the People and the other more votes from the Cantons, the proposal that comes into force is that which achieves the higher sum if the percentage of votes of the People and the percentage of votes of the Cantons in the third question are added together.References: Federal Constitution of Switzerland, 1999 (accessed June 14, 2021)
- Subject Matter:
-
Partial revision of the Federal Constitution, either in the form of a general proposal or of a specific draft of the provisions proposed.
Actors
- Author:
- Citizens
- Initiator:
- Citizens
- Decision maker:
- Electorate
Requirements
- Number Of Signatures:
- 100 000
- Available Time:
- 18 months
- Turnout Quorum:
- None
- Approval Quorum:
- Majority of those who vote and a majority of the Cantons
- Geographical Quorum:
- Majority of those who vote and a majority of the Cantons
- Excluded Issues:
-
No subject is in principle excluded. However, initiatives must comply with binding international law.
- Other Formal Requirements:
Procedural Elements
- Collection Mode:
- free
- Specify Collection Mode:
- Wording Of Ballot Question:
- Interaction With Authorities:
- Supervision And Support:
- Transparency And Finance:
Practice
- Archive:
- Remarks: