2021 Swiss same-sex marriage referendum
{{Short description|26 September 2021 national referendum in Switzerland}}
{{Infobox referendum
| name = 2021 Swiss same-sex marriage referendum
| title = Amendment to the Swiss Civil Code (Marriage for All)
| country = Switzerland
| date = 26 September 2021
| yes = 1,828,642
| no = 1,024,307
| total = 2,903,228
| electorate = 5,519,168
| map = 2021.09.26 Ja zur Ehe fuer alle.svg
| map_alt = Preliminary official results
| mapdivision = canton[https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/20210926/index.html Preliminary official results], Swiss Federal Chancellery, 26 September 2021
}}
The 2021 Swiss same-sex marriage referendum was a facultative referendum held in Switzerland on 26 September 2021 about an amendment to the Civil Code to legalise marriage between people of the same sex, as well as adoption rights for same-sex couples and access to assisted reproductive technology for women couples. The amendment was called "marriage for all" (Ehe für alle, Mariage pour tous, Matrimonio per tutti, Lètg per tuts) in Swiss public discourse.
64.1% of voters and all cantons supported the amendment, which entered into force on 1 July 2022. The vote made Switzerland the 30th country to legalise same-sex marriage. When the vote took place, Switzerland was one of few countries in Western Europe yet to grant same-sex couples the right to marry.{{Cite news|title=Switzerland overwhelming votes 'yes' to same-sex marriage|first=Darryl|last=Coote|date=26 September 2021|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/09/26/switzerland-Switzerland-referendum-same-se-marriage/5841632707276/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=United Press International|language=en}}
Purpose
{{Main|Same-sex marriage in Switzerland}}
The amendment subject to the referendum legalises same-sex marriage in Switzerland, adoption by same-sex couples and assisted reproductive technology for female same-sex couples. Same-sex couples who have entered into a registered partnership (introduced in 2005) may maintain it or convert it into a marriage. However, the introduction of same-sex marriage eliminates the possibility of entering into a registered partnership.[https://www.ch.ch/en/family-and-partnership/same-sex-partnership/registered-partnerships/]
History
Switzerland allows its citizens to launch a facultative referendum to contest a law adopted by the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament. In order to qualify, the petition must have at least 50,000 signatures within 100 days after the publication of the new law in the Federal Gazette. The evangelical Christian party Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU) had already announced in June 2020 that they would launch a referendum against the legalisation of same-sex marriage.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-04|title=Mariage pour tous: L'UDF se prépare pour le référendum|url=https://www.udf-suisse.ch/de/actualites/nouveautes/newsdetail/news/mariage-pour-tous-ludf-se-prepare-pour-le-referendum.html|access-date=2020-12-21|website=udf-suisse.ch|language=fr|archive-date=2021-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019080858/https://www.udf-suisse.ch/de/actualites/nouveautes/newsdetail/news/mariage-pour-tous-ludf-se-prepare-pour-le-referendum.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Katy Romy|date=2020-12-02|title=Après le mariage pour tous, des combats restent à mener|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/apr%C3%A8s-le-mariage-pour-tous--des-combats-restent-%C3%A0-mener/46198824|access-date=2020-12-21|website=swissinfo.ch|language=fr}}.
After lengthy discussions, initiated by a 2013 bill by the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland, the Federal Assembly adopted a bill for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2020. It was supported by the federal government and all political parties, except most of the right-wing Swiss People's Party, about half of the Centre party, and the EDU. The amendment to the Civil Code was published in the Federal Gazette on 31 December 2020, leaving opponents to collect signatures against the law until 10 April 2021.{{Cite web|last=|date=|title=Mariage civil pour tous|url=https://www.parlament.ch/fr/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20130468|access-date=2021-09-05|website=Federal Assembly |language=}}.{{Cite journal|date=2020-12-31|title=Code civil suisse (Mariage pour tous). Modification du 18 décembre 2020|url=https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/federal-gazette/2020/9607.pdf|journal=Feuille Fédérale|language=fr|issue=57|pages=9607–9616}}.
There were three referendum committees. The first, by the EDU, called itself "No to marriage for all". The second, by members of parliament from the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the Centre{{Cite web|last=ats/fgn|date=2020-12-27|title=Un deuxième référendum contre le mariage pour tous en préparation|url=https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/11854200-un-deuxieme-referendum-contre-le-mariage-pour-tous-en-preparation.html|access-date=2021-01-11|website=rts.ch|language=fr}}. and the Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland{{Cite web|date=2021-01-07|title=EVP unterstützt Referendum gegen Samenspende|url=https://www.ref.ch/news/evp-unterstuetzt-referendum-gegen-samenspende/|access-date=2021-01-11|website=ref.ch|language=de}}. was called "No to sperm donation for same-sex couples". A third committee called "No to the commodification of children" was launched by members of parliament of the SVP from the Canton of Valais; they also called themselves "For the Family Foundation".{{Cite journal|last1=Noémie Fournier|last2=Dimitri Mathey|date=2021-02-10|title=Le Valais a-t-il un problème avec le mariage homosexuel?|url=https://www.lenouvelliste.ch/articles/valais/canton/le-valais-a-t-il-un-probleme-avec-le-mariage-homosexuel-1042246|journal=Le Nouvelliste|language=fr}}.{{Cite web|title=Accueil|url=https://www.papa-maman.ch/index.php/en/|access-date=2021-06-07|website=papa-maman.ch|archive-date=2021-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607151341/https://www.papa-maman.ch/index.php/en/|url-status=dead}}.
On 12 April 2021, opponents of same-sex marriage announced that they had collected 59,176 certified signatures and brought them to the Federal Chancellery.{{Cite web|title=La PMA, un enjeu du référendum contre le "mariage pour tous" déposé lundi à Berne|url=https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/12111831-la-pma-un-enjeu-du-referendum-contre-le-mariage-pour-tous-depose-lundi-a-berne.html|access-date=2021-04-13|website=RTS|date=12 April 2021 |language=fr}} On 27 April, the Chancellery certified 61,027 valid signatures, which meant that the law would be submitted to a vote.{{Cite journal|last=ATS|date=2021-04-27|title=Il y aura un vote sur le mariage pour tous, le référendum a officiellement abouti|url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/y-aura-un-vote-mariage-referendum-officiellement-abouti|journal=Le Temps|language=fr|issn=1423-3967|access-date=2021-04-27}}. On 19 May, the Federal Council decided that the referendum would take place on 26 September 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-19|title=Objets de la votation populaire du 26 septembre 2021|url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-83585.html|access-date=2021-05-24|website=www.admin.ch}}.
In the discussions leading up to the vote, the proponents of equal marriage including the federal minister of justice, Karin Keller-Sutter, highlighted the need to end discrimination and inequality; they said that the law would be a step towards ending the stigmatization and social discrimination against same-sex couples. The opponents of the amendment, primarily from conservative circles, advanced the argument of respecting tradition; they also said that changing the definition of marriage would need a constitutional rather than statutory amendment. But their principal arguments related to child welfare, such as the right of a child to know one's father, which they said would be in jeopardy for the children of female same-sex couples.{{Cite web|title=Marriage equality law headed for victory in Swiss vote|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/voters-have-last-word-on--marriage-for-all--bill/46969634|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-26|website=Swissinfo|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925112126/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/voters-have-last-word-on--marriage-for-all--bill/46969634 |archive-date=2021-09-25}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ Switzerland - National Parliamentary Political Parties' Positions on the 26 September 2021 referendums (Marriage For All Act){{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1441442414057582600|title=Switzerland (National Referenda - 26 September 2021) - National parliamentary political parties' positions|publisher=EuropeElects (Twitter)|date=24 September 2021|access-date=8 October 2022}} | |
| Party | style="width:15%;" | Position on how to vote |
|---|---|
| {{color box|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|border=silver}} Swiss People's Party (UDC/SVP)
| style="background-color:#FFAEB9;" |No | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} Social Democratic Party (PS/SP)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes | |
| {{color box|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|border=silver}} FDP.The Liberals (PLR/FDP)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} Green Party (PES/GPS)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} The Centre (LC/DW)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DieJungeMitteCH/status/1436627249126690818|title=The Die Mitte/Le Centre saying 'Yes' to Marriage for All|publisher=Die Junge Mitte Schweiz/Jeunes du Centre Suisse (Twitter)|language=de, fr|date=11 September 2021|access-date=8 October 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://die-mitte.ch/zusammenhalten-statt-spalten/|title=Zusammenhalten statt spalten|publisher=Die-Mitte.ch|language=de|date=11 September 2021|access-date=8 October 2022}} | |
| |{{color box|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} Green Liberal Party (PVL/GLP)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} Evangelical People's Party (PEV/EVP)
| style="background-color:#FFAEB9;" |No | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland}}|border=silver}} Federal Democratic Union (UDF/EDU)
| style="background-color:#FFAEB9;" |No | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Ticino League}}|border=silver}} Ticino League (Lega)
| style="background-color:#808080;" |Neutral | |
| {{color box|#990000|border=silver}} Solidarity (solidaritéS)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes | |
| {{color box|{{party color|Swiss Party of Labour}}|border=silver}} Swiss Party of Labour (POP/PdA)
| style="background-color:#CCFFCC;" |Yes |
Opinion polls
Polls in advance of the referendum consistently showed roughly two-thirds support for the law.
| class="wikitable sortable zebra" style="text-align:right;" |
| style="text-align:left;border-bottom:3px solid #AAAAAA;"| Pollster
! style="text-align:left;border-bottom:3px solid #AAAAAA;"| Commissioned by ! style="width:8.5em;border-bottom:3px solid #AAAAAA;"| Date ! style="width:5em;border-bottom:3px solid #009900;"| Yes ! style="width:5em;border-bottom:3px solid #00FF00;"| Rather yes ! style="width:5em;border-bottom:3px solid #CCCCCC;"| Undecided ! style="width:5em;border-bottom:3px solid #FF0000;"| Rather not ! style="width:5em;border-bottom:3px solid #990000;"| No |
|---|
| style="text-align:left;" |[https://cockpit.gfsbern.ch/fr/cockpit/srg_trend_032021_fr-3-3 gfs.Bern]
| style="text-align:left;" |SRG SSR | 20 August 2021 | 55 | 14 | 2 | 9 | 20 |
| style="text-align:left;" |[https://www.tamedia.ch/tl_files/content/Group/PDF%20Files/Deutsch/20210813_Bericht_Welle_1_.pdf LeeWas GmbH]
| style="text-align:left;" |Tamedia | 13 August 2021 | 56 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 29 |
| style="text-align:left;" |[https://www.tamedia.ch/tl_files/content/Group/PDF%20Files/Deutsch/20210901_Bericht_Welle_2.pdf LeeWas GmbH]
| style="text-align:left;" |Tamedia | 1 September 2021 | 60 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 29 |
| style="text-align:left;" |[https://cockpit.gfsbern.ch/fr/cockpit/srg_trend_26092021_fr/ gfs.Bern]
| style="text-align:left;" |SRG SSR | 15 September 2021 | 53 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 27 |
| style="text-align:left;" |[https://www.tamedia.ch/tl_files/content/Group/PDF%20Files/Deutsch/20210915_Bericht_Welle_3.pdf LeeWas GmbH]
| style="text-align:left;" |Tamedia | 15 September 2021 | 64 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 29 |
Results
64.10% of voters and all cantons supported the amendment to the Civil Code to legalise same-sex marriage.
{{Referendum
|title = Amendment to the Swiss Civil Code (Marriage for All).{{cite web|title=Votation No 647 Tableau récapitulatif|url=https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/va/20210926/det647.html|author=Chancellerie fédérale ChF|website=www.bk.admin.ch|access-date=28 November 2021|publication-date=}}{{cite web|title=Droits politiques|url=https://www.bk.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/va/20210926/index.html|author=Chancellerie fédérale ChF|website=www.bk.admin.ch|access-date=26 September 2021|publication-date=}}
|no = 1,024,307
|nopct = 35.90
|yes = 1,828,642
|yespct = 64.10
|valid = 2,852,949
|validpct = 98.27
|invalid = 50,279
|invalidpct = 1.73
|total = 2,903,228
|turnoutpct = 52.60
|electorate = 5,519,168
}}
Reactions
= Support =
Laura Russo, co-president of the Geneva Federation of LGBT Associations, said, "This is a historic day for us and for Switzerland, this is a great step forward, something we have been waiting for for years."{{Cite web |date=2021-09-26 |title=Swiss approve same-sex marriage by wide margin in referendum |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/swiss-approve-same-sex-marriage-by-wide-margin-in-referendum |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}} Pink Cross, a Swiss LGBT umbrella organization, praised the vote and called it a "big milestone".{{Cite web |date=2021-09-27 |title=Switzerland Overwhelmingly Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in Historic Vote |url=https://www.them.us/story/switzerland-overwhelmingly-legalizes-lgbtq-marriage |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=them. |language=en-US}}
In a press release after the vote, the Umbrella Association of Rainbow Families wrote about the effects of opposition to marriage equality on its members.
= Opposition =
Verena Herzog, The SVP's national councilor, criticized the law for "[opening] the floodgates to many potentially dangerous practices,” although these were not specified.{{Cite web |title=Landslide Win for Swiss Same-Sex Marriage Referendum |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/switzerland-votes-on-allowing-same-sex-marriage/6246035.html |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=VOA |date=26 September 2021 |language=en}} Speaking to Keystone-SDA, Monika Rüegger of the SVP said it was a "black day" in response to the vote.