Swiss referendum votes YES to buy new fighter jets

Switzerland's voting system is unique among modern democratic nations in that Switzerland practices direct democracy in parallel with representative democracy.

One of the tools of this voting system is the optional referendum. It allows citizens to oppose laws voted by the federal parliament, cantonal and/or municipal decrees.

Yesterday, Sunday 27 September 2020, the government made a second attempt for spending as much as CHF 6 billion (USD 6.5 billion) to purchase new fighter jets, to replace its ageing fleet of Northrop F-5E/F Tigers and F/A-18C/D Hornets by 2030.

With a small margin of 8,670 votes, Swiss citizens have given a cautious all-clear for a multi-billion purchase of new fighter jets for the Schweizer Luftwaffe (Swiss Air Force). In the end, 50.1% of the roughly three million voters who cast ballots approved the CHF6 billion funding packet after a surprising afternoon that left pollsters unable to call the result until the last minute.

Defence Minister Viola Amherd welcomed the victory and said the government would now proceed with the evaluation of four models bidding for the contract: Lockheed F-35A Lightning II, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, and Eurofighter Typhoon.

In principle, voters will have no further say on the type of new aircraft to be bought. However, the Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSoA), which led the opposition campaign, has already said it will launch a people’s initiative to challenge the government’s choice. Amherd said this will not derail plans to finalise the contract by 2021.