In May, voters should decide, among other things, whether Switzerland’s contribution to the European border and coast guard Frontex should be increased. The new film law and the change in the law on organ donation also go to the ballot box.
It was close, but it was enough. On Wednesday evening, the initiators behind the Frontex referendum were able to announce that they had managed to submit the necessary number of signatures to the Federal Chancellery one day before the official deadline.
If at least 50,000 of the 55,000 signatures submitted are valid, the Frontex proposal will be voted on on 15 May. The Netflix referendum and the referendum against the transplant law will also be voted on the same day.
At the Frontex referendum, voters will decide whether Switzerland’s annual contribution to the European border and coast guard Frontex should be increased from 14 million to 61 million. The reason: the EU has been equipping Frontex with significantly more personnel and material since 2016.
As a Schengen member, Switzerland must also participate in this expansion. Otherwise you are threatened with the end of the Schengen-Dublin cooperation. Behind the referendum is a committee around the Migrant Solidarity Network, in which SP, Greens, Young Greens and the group for a Switzerland without an army are committed.
In autumn, Parliament narrowly approved the increase in Switzerland’s contribution. SP, Greens and parts of the SVP had resisted it. The left-wing parties subsequently supported the referendum against the Frontex proposal. Frontex is accused of being involved in illegal pushbacks and human rights abuses. Frontex denies the allegations.
Money from Netflix & Co. for Swiss films
The referendum against the new film law, also known as Lex Netflix, was held by Jungfreisinnigen Schweiz, Junge SVP Schweiz and Junge GLP Schweiz. It was submitted to the Federal Chancellery with 65,000 signatures.
Among other things, the film law passed in parliament stipulates that streaming providers such as Netflix, Amazon or Disney must invest 4 percent of their Swiss sales in Swiss film productions in the future. The opponents argue, among other things, that it is a hidden consumption tax.
The third referendum is about organ donation. It should now no longer require explicit approval, but explicit rejection. Parliament passed a corresponding amendment to the Transplantation Act in autumn – as an indirect counter-proposal to the organ donation initiative. This was withdrawn with the proviso that the legislative amendment survives a possible vote.