Popular initiative calls for free public transport in Switzerland

As living expenses in Switzerland rise each year, Lausanne-based Agissons! has launched a popular initiative calling for free public transport. After it has been submitted, the initiative requires 100.000 signatures to proceed.

Agissons! wants accessible and affordable public transport

Agissons! (or Let’s act), a popular movement in Switzerland, has launched an initiative calling for free public transport. The proposal, “For free, high-quality public transportation” (“Für einen kostenlosen, öffentlichen und hochwertigen Nahverkehr”), calls on the Swiss government to “sustainably guarantee accessible, affordable and high-quality public transport”. 

Agissons! spokesperson Steven Tamburini explains that the focus of the proposal is equality, investment in public transport and a system to make travel free.

Specifically, the initiative proposes rewriting Article 81a of the Swiss constitution, which focuses on public transport, to enable “Switzerland to establish a mobility system conceived as a universal public service”, reports Watson.

Initiative needs 100.000 signatures

The popular movement is now raising 60.000 Swiss francs to be able to officially submit the initiative in June. Once submitted, the proposal needs 100.000 signatures within 18 months to be considered by the government. At the time of writing, the proposal has already raised 52 percent of the funds needed.

Agissons! is a movement based in Lausanne and has previously launched campaigns calling for political rights for all residents in Vaud and a public transport campaign aimed at stopping the expansion of unnecessary motorways.