At stake in this Referendum:

• The referendum will ask voters to decide whether Switzerland should become a member of the United Nations.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Moritz LEUENBERGER
• Head of Government: President Moritz LEUENBERGER
• Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung, Assemblée Fédérale) consisting of the Council of States (Standerat, Conseil des Etats, or Consiglio degli Stati) with 46 seats and the National Council (Nationalrat, Conseil National, or Consiglio Nazionale) with 200 seats.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Referendum on United Nations membership

Electoral Requirements

• For the referendum to pass, a majority of all voters must approve the referendum and a majority of the 26 cantons must approve the referendum.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 7,284,753 (2002)
• Registered Voters: 4,626,215 (2000)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,724,499 (2002)

·         Is Switzerland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (23 January 1987)

·         Has Switzerland ratified CEDAW: Yes (27 March 1997)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 45 (National Council); 9 (Council of States) following the 1999 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 3 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Switzerland a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Switzerland ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (15 April 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 1,092,712 (est.)