By far the most referendums in the world take place in Switzerland. So it’s no wonder that some are a bit odd, for example whether to ban absinthe, driving on Sundays or cutting off cow horns. Switzerland is a paradise of popular rights. If a citizen or group can collect 100,000 valid signatures in favour of an idea within 18 months, this people’s initiative to amend the constitution must be put to a nationwide vote. What’s more, laws can be challenged in a referendum, for which 50,000 signatures must be gathered within 100 days. Also, whenever the government and parliament want to change the constitution, a vote is held. Swiss voters have made around 650 decisions since 1848. Here are some of the most peculiar ones, and ones that seem strange from today’s perspective. New marriage law (1985) The vote on the new marriage law in 1985 is one of many votes in the “yesterday is not so long ago” category. Previously, the husband took the decisions in a household. He could cancel the ...
