Swiss cantons vote on free contraception, tax cuts and other controversial measures
Geneva approved a proposal to provide contraception at no cost, while voters in other cantons rejected initiatives on speed limits, voting age and protest liability.
Geneva's electorate supported a Social Democratic proposal to supply contraception without charge, a move highlighted by council member Jacklean Kalibala. In Vaud, a tax-reduction initiative passed, aiming to lower cantonal income and wealth taxes. Schaffhausen voters declined a traffic initiative that would have restricted 30 km/h zones, while a government alternative was also rejected.
Graubünden rejected a measure to extend voting rights to 16-year-olds, leaving Glarus as the only canton with that privilege. Basel-Stadt voters overwhelmingly opposed an SVP-backed initiative that sought to make protestors pay for police and damage costs. Additional proposals, such as a education amendment in Bern and a teachers' working-conditions law in Zurich, also failed.
Why it matters
The votes shape public policy on health, taxation, traffic safety and civic participation across Swiss cantons.
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