Note on the results:

• These results are preliminary and will be updated with the final official results when available.

At stake in this referendum:  

• There are three pieces of legislation at issue: the Horned Cow Initiative, the Self-determination Initiative, and a petition against legislation on the statutory basis for monitoring claimants.

Description of government structure:  

• Chief of State: President Alain BERSET*  
• Head of Government: President Alain BERSET 
• Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (BBundesversammlung/Assemblée Fédérale/Assemblea Federale) consisting of the Council of States (Ständerat/Conseil des Etats/ Consiglio degli Stati) with 46 seats and the National Council (Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale) with 200 seats

*The Federal Presidency rotates among the 7 members of the Federal Council, which is the formal chief of state.  

Electoral requirements:  

A majority of the popular vote and the cantons is required for popular initiatives to pass. A majority of the popular vote is required for Federal Decrees to pass. 

About the referendum:  

• The Horned Cow Initiative is a popular initiative first submitted in 2016. The initiative would provide financial support to farmers with cows and goats with horns.
• The Self-determination Initiative would give Swiss law explicit precedence over international law. The initiative was introduced by the Swiss People’s Party, and its exact legal application is unclear.
• The petition against legislation on the statutory basis for monitoring claimants would set limits to what private detectives hired by insurance companies can do to gain information on the people they are hired to investigate.

More information on these initiatives is available here and here.

Population and number of registered voters:  

• Population: 8,544,034 (2018 est.)
• Registered Voters: 5,391,090

Gender Data:  

• Female Population: 4,308,925 (2018 est.) 
• Is Switzerland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (since 23 January 1987) 
• Has Switzerland ratified CEDAW: Yes (since 27 March 1997) 
• Gender Quota: No 
• Female candidates in this election: N/A 
• Number of Female Parliamentarians: 74 (29%) 
• Human Development Index Position: 2 (2018)
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A 

Disability Data:  

• Is Switzerland a signatory to CRPD: Yes 
• Has Switzerland ratified CRPD: Yes 
• Population with a disability: 1,792,000