Swiss voters reject mandatory national service for women and new inheritance tax
JAMEY KEATEN
November 30, 2025
AP
A person walks past referendum posters of political parties and associations as Swiss voters are casting ballots to decide whether women, like men, must do national service in the military, civil protection teams or in other forms, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 26, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A person walks by referendum posters of political parties and associations as Swiss voters are casting ballots to decide whether women, like men, must do national service in the military, civil protection teams or in other forms, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 26, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
GENEVA (AP) — Swiss voters on Sunday decisively rejected a call to require women to do national service in the military, civil protection teams or other forms, as men must do already.
In a referendum, over 84% of voters rejected the “citizen service initiative” and none of the country's 26 cantons, or states, came anywhere near voting in favor. Proposals need a majority of both voters and cantons to pass.
A separate proposal to impose a new national tax on individual donations or inheritances of more than 50 million francs ($62 million) was shot down by more than 78% of voters. The revenues were to be used to fight the impact of climate change and help Switzerland meet its ambitions to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Supporters of the national service plan hoped that it would boost social cohesion by adding jobs in areas like environmental prevention, food security and elderly care. But lawmakers opposed it, mainly for cost reasons and out of concern that it could hurt the economy by taking many young people out of the workforce.
The proposal came at a time when other European countries are finding ways to bolster their armed forces in the face of growing concerns about Russia's potential threat beyond the war in Ukraine.
Young men in neutral Switzerland are already required to carry out military service or join civil protection teams. Conscientious objectors can do other types of service, and those who opt out entirely must pay an exemption fee. Each year, about 35,000 men take part in mandatory service.
The failed initiative would have required all Swiss citizens to do national service — women can currently do so on a voluntary basis — and applied the concept of national security to areas beyond military service or civil protection.
Its supporters pointed to “landslides in the mountains, floods in the plains, cyberattacks, risks of energy shortages or war in Europe” and said that their plan would mean everyone taking responsibility for “a stronger Switzerland that’s able to stand up to crises.”
The government countered that the army and civil defense have enough staff, and no more people should be recruited than are needed.
While compulsory military service for women might be seen as “a step toward gender equality,” it added, the idea would “place an extra burden on many women, who already shoulder a large part of the unpaid work of raising and caring for children and relatives, as well as household tasks.”
The government also opposed the proposal for a new tax on large donations or inheritances, arguing that approval could prompt some of the wealthiest in Switzerland — an estimated 2,500 people — to move elsewhere. Sums beyond 50 million francs ($62 million) could have been hit with a 50% rate.
Switzerland holds national referendums four times a year, giving voters a direct say in policymaking.
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Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
JAMEY KEATEN
November 30, 2025
AP
A person walks past referendum posters of political parties and associations as Swiss voters are casting ballots to decide whether women, like men, must do national service in the military, civil protection teams or in other forms, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 26, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A person walks by referendum posters of political parties and associations as Swiss voters are casting ballots to decide whether women, like men, must do national service in the military, civil protection teams or in other forms, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 26, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
GENEVA (AP) — Swiss voters on Sunday decisively rejected a call to require women to do national service in the military, civil protection teams or other forms, as men must do already.
In a referendum, over 84% of voters rejected the “citizen service initiative” and none of the country's 26 cantons, or states, came anywhere near voting in favor. Proposals need a majority of both voters and cantons to pass.
A separate proposal to impose a new national tax on individual donations or inheritances of more than 50 million francs ($62 million) was shot down by more than 78% of voters. The revenues were to be used to fight the impact of climate change and help Switzerland meet its ambitions to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Supporters of the national service plan hoped that it would boost social cohesion by adding jobs in areas like environmental prevention, food security and elderly care. But lawmakers opposed it, mainly for cost reasons and out of concern that it could hurt the economy by taking many young people out of the workforce.
The proposal came at a time when other European countries are finding ways to bolster their armed forces in the face of growing concerns about Russia's potential threat beyond the war in Ukraine.
Young men in neutral Switzerland are already required to carry out military service or join civil protection teams. Conscientious objectors can do other types of service, and those who opt out entirely must pay an exemption fee. Each year, about 35,000 men take part in mandatory service.
The failed initiative would have required all Swiss citizens to do national service — women can currently do so on a voluntary basis — and applied the concept of national security to areas beyond military service or civil protection.
Its supporters pointed to “landslides in the mountains, floods in the plains, cyberattacks, risks of energy shortages or war in Europe” and said that their plan would mean everyone taking responsibility for “a stronger Switzerland that’s able to stand up to crises.”
The government countered that the army and civil defense have enough staff, and no more people should be recruited than are needed.
While compulsory military service for women might be seen as “a step toward gender equality,” it added, the idea would “place an extra burden on many women, who already shoulder a large part of the unpaid work of raising and caring for children and relatives, as well as household tasks.”
The government also opposed the proposal for a new tax on large donations or inheritances, arguing that approval could prompt some of the wealthiest in Switzerland — an estimated 2,500 people — to move elsewhere. Sums beyond 50 million francs ($62 million) could have been hit with a 50% rate.
Switzerland holds national referendums four times a year, giving voters a direct say in policymaking.
___
Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
By AFP
November 29, 2025
Neither of the initiatives are expected to pass - Copyright AFP Fabrice COFFRINI
Nina LARSON
Switzerland votes Sunday on whether to replace the current men-only military conscription with a compulsory civic duty for men and women alike and on taxing the super-rich to fund the climate fight.
Neither initiative is expected to pass, according to recent polls, but they have generated significant discussion in the wealthy Alpine nation.
Under Switzerland’s direct democratic system, 100,000 signatures are needed to put virtually any issue to a popular vote, with the Swiss given a say on a wide range of topics every few months at the national, regional and local levels.
The Swiss government and parliament have urged voters to reject the two national items on Sunday’s ballot, arguing that they would entail huge costs and could threaten the economy.
Polling stations were to open for a few hours on Sunday morning before closing at noon (1100 GMT).
But most votes are typically cast in advance, with initial results expected by mid-afternoon.
– ‘True equality’ –
The so-called Civic Duty initiative initially garnered quite broad backing, but its support has crumbled in recent weeks, with the latest survey from market researcher gfs.bern finding that 64 percent of those polled were opposed.
The committee behind the initiative maintains that requiring every Swiss citizen, regardless of gender, to do national service in the army or in a civilian capacity would strengthen social cohesion.
The initiative aims for “true equality”, committee head Noemie Roten told AFP.
She described the current system as discriminatory — for men, but also for women, who are largely excluded from useful networks and experiences obtained during service.
“Be it in the army, civil protection, civil service or voluntary firefighters, the idea is for every young person to contribute to the collective wellbeing,” she said.
Opponents of the initiative denied it would enhance equality.
Cyrielle Huguenot, head of equality, family and migration issues at the Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS), argued that the initiative “completely obscures the reality of women in this country”.
Women already do the vast majority of unpaid tasks in Swiss society, she told AFP.
“And now you are asking women to provide even more unpaid service. This would only exacerbate the imbalance.”
– ‘Tax the rich’ –
The second item on the ballot Sunday, known as the “initiative for a future”, has also sparked controversy with its demand for a new climate tax on big inheritances.
It appears even less likely to pass, with a full 68 percent of those questioned for the latest gfs.bern poll against.
The text, put forward by the youth wing of Switzerland’s Socialist Party, calls for a 50-percent inheritance tax on fortunes above 50 million Swiss francs ($63 million) — estimated to affect some 2,500 households.
Under the slogan “tax the rich, save the climate”, the group calculates that the levy would rake in six billion Swiss francs annually, which could go towards funding an ecological transformation of Switzerland’s economy through things like renovating buildings, developing renewable energy and expanding public transportation.
A massive opposition campaign has warned that very wealthy people might leave the country to avoid the tax, weakening the economy.
People inheriting family businesses might also be hurt, critics caution.
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