Swiss gun control referendum, 2011

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A referendum was held in Switzerland on 13 February 2011 on the federal popular initiative "For the protection against gun violence" ("Für den Schutz vor Waffengewalt"/"Pour la protection face à la violence des armes"/"Per la protezione dalla violenza perpetrata con le armi"). It was rejected by 56% of voters and a majority of cantons.

Initiative

The initiative foresees that guns can no longer be kept at home, but must be stored at the arsenal (Zeughaus) instead, that possession of a gun should be linked to a screening of the ability and necessity of the gunholder, and that all guns should be registered. Left-wing parties (SP, Greens, CSP) and the GLP are mostly in favour of the proposal, with right-wing parties (SVP, FDP, CVP, BDP) opposed.

Opinion polls

According to polls from January 2011, the initiative was favoured by 45% of respondents, with 34% opposed and a relatively high amount of undecideds at 21%.^[1] A second poll from two weeks before the referendum saw a closening of the polls, with 47% to 45% in favour.^[2]

Results

More than half, 56.3%, of all voters were against the initiative, with only the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Zurich, Geneva, Jura, Vaud and Neuchâtel in support; this meant the initiative would have narrowly passed in western Switzerland, but clearly failed in the German-speaking parts.^[3] In Switzerland, the passing of a constitutional amendment by initiative requires a double majority; not only must a majority of people vote for the amendment but also a majority of cantons give their consent.

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
Choice	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	1,083,312	43.70	5	1	5.5
Against	1,395,812	56.30	15	5	17.5
Invalid/blank votes	22,136	–	–	–	–
Total	2,501,260	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	5,091,652	49.12	–	–	–
Source: Direct Democracy

External links

Official website

References

↑ Befürworter der Waffeninitiative liegen klar vorn Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 9 January 2011
↑ Gegner der Waffenschutzinitiative holen auf Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 2 February 2011
↑ Waffenschutzinitiative klar gescheitert Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 13 February 2011

Elections and referendums in Switzerland

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