List of Swiss federal referendums
The List of Swiss federal referendums details all federal referendums held in Switzerland since the establishment of the modern Swiss federal state in 1848. These referendums arise from:
- Popular initiatives,
- Direct counter-proposals to such initiatives,
- Mandatory referendums, or
- Optional referendums.
The comprehensive list is organized by decade. Each section begins with links to annual overviews that briefly describe the proposals, followed by links to articles on specific proposals where available.
Federal referendums
2020–present
Annual overviews: 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 20252010–2019
Annual overviews: 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 20192000–2009
Annual overviews: 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 20091990–1999
Annual overviews: 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 19991980–1989
Annual overviews: 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 19891970–1979
Annual overviews: 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 19791960–1969
Annual overviews: 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 19691950–1959
Annual overviews: 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 19591940–1949
Annual overviews: 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 19491930–1939
Annual overviews: 1930 | 1931 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1937 | 1938 | 19391920–1929
Annual Overviews: 1910 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1917 | 1918 | 19191900–1909
Annual Overviews: 1900 | 1902 | 1903 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 19081890–1899
Annual overviews: 1890 | 1891 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 18981880–1889
Annual Overviews: 1880 | 1882 | 1884 | 1885 | 1887 | 18891848–1879
Annual overviews: 1848 | 1866 | 1872 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1879The Federal Constitution of 1848 "was not subjected to a nationwide federal referendum. However, most cantons conducted such a vote on their own initiative, as some had already done in 1833 for an unsuccessful revision of the Federal Treaty". At the time of the referendum on the Federal Constitution of 1848, the Federal Charter of 1815 was still in force, which did not provide a legal basis for conducting such a referendum; thus, this referendum does not meet the definition of a true mandatory referendum.
The first nationwide referendum was held by order of the Small Council of the Federal Council) of the Helvetic Republic on May 25, 1802, concerning the Second Helvetic Constitution.
Statistics
From 1848 to the referendum on June 18, 2023, the following statistics apply:| Trigger | Number |
| Initiatives | 229 |
| Mandatory referendums | 242 |
| Optional referendums | 202 |
| Total | 664* |
| Result | Number |
| Accepted proposals | 323 |
| Rejected proposals | 357 |
| Total | 664 |