Swiss voters set to decide on universal civil service in weekend poll

Swiss citizens will decide this weekend whether to replace the current military service for men with compulsory civilian service for everyone.

The issue will be decided through a nationwide referendum on November 30, as Caliber.Az reports citing Euractiv.

The so-called Civic Duty initiative maintains that requiring every Swiss citizen, regardless of gender, to do national service in the army or in a civilian capacity would strengthen social cohesion and achieve "true equality".

The move had initially garnered broad support, which has crumbled in recent weeks, with the latest polls showing 64 per cent of voters opposed to the change.

Opponents view the measure as excessive and discriminatory, emphasising that Swiss women already devote a significant amount of time to unpaid labour, while for men, “it’s the opposite.” They argue that, in practice, “Civic Duty” would also serve as an “unpaid service,” thereby worsening the country’s existing imbalance.

The upcoming referendum will also have citizens decide on whether to impose a new set of taxes for the ultra-wealthy individuals to help finance the country’s effort against climate change.

The government and parliament have urged voters to reject both initiatives, pointing to high costs and potential harm to the economy.

By Nazrin Sadigova