At stake in this Referendum:

• Voters will vote in three nationwide referendums regarding family policy, city planning, and on corporate payoffs. For the first time, during this referendum eleven cantons will allow overseas voters to vote online after approval from the Federal Council.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Ulrich MAURER *
• Head of Government: President Ulrich MAURER
• Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung/Assemblée Fédérale/Assemblea Federale) consisting of the Council of States (Standerat/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 members of the Federal Council, which is the formal chief of state. Presently the Federal Council consists of Doris LEUTHARD, Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF, Ueli MAURER, Didier BURKHALTER, Simonetta SOMMARUGA, Johan SCHNEIDER—AMMANN, and Alain BERSET.

* Single-member districts correspond to half-cantons. The electoral system is first-past-the-post. Two-seat districts correspond to full cantons. The electoral system is MNTV.

** Seats are apportioned to each canton or half-canton in proportion to its population. Voters have the option of panachage. In single-member districts, this is effectively a first-past-the-post system.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Do you want the federal order of 15 June 2012 taken on family policy? The federal order would add an amendment to the federal constitution to require the federal government to take account of the needs of the family when performing its duties, and to work with the cantons to promote balance between family and work and to create more day-care facilities to complement schools.
• Will you accept the people’s initiative regarding executive pay? The initiative would amend Swiss federal legislation to require a binding annual vote by shareholders to set aggregate pay for the board of directors, require the articles of association to include bonus schemes and pay plans for directors and executive officers, ban advance and severance packages, require board members and the chairmen to be individually elected by shareholders every year, and ban corporate proxy and the representation of shareholders by depository banks.
• Do you want the amendment of 15 June 2012 of the Federal Law on Spatial Planning? The amendment limits the amount of development land that communities will have access to, limiting it to their needs for the next 15 years and reducing excessive development zones. Owners of development land will be subject to a 20 percent value added tax on future land transactions.

Electoral Requirements:

• Referendums must achieve at least 50 percent plus 1 of valid votes to pass.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 8,089,346 (2013)
• Registered Voters: 5,139,055 (March 2012)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 4,091,510 (2013)

·         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: 57 (National Council); 9 (Council of States) following the 2011 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: 1,213,401 (est.)