Switzerland says “Yes” to individual taxation and cash initiative

On Sunday, March 8, Swiss voters across the alpine nation took to the polls to decide on four national proposals in the first referendums of 2026. With a turnout of around 55 percent, Switzerland said “Ja” to individual taxation and ensuring a supply of cash. 

Switzerland scraps “marriage penalty”

Swiss voters have approved a proposal to introduce individual tax, with 54,3 percent saying yes to the proposed Federal Act on Individual Taxation. Married couples who currently must file a joint tax return, creating what is known as a “marriage penalty", will in the future file their taxes separately.

According to finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter, Swiss cantons “need a transition period” before individual tax is introduced and the law “should come into force no later than 2032”, reports SRF.

The government counter-proposal to the cash initiative was also accepted by 73,4 percent of voters. This means that the supply of cash in Switzerland will be enshrined in the constitution, and any proposal to change the currency to, for example, euros would need approval via a referendum.

Swiss voters reject SRG and climate initiatives 

The other two national proposals on the agenda were rejected by voters. The SRG initiative to lower Swiss TV and radio licence fee (Serafe) to 200 Swiss francs was overwhelmingly rejected by 61,9 percent. Currently, families and households in Switzerland pay 335 Swiss francs a year, however this is set to reduce to 300 Swiss francs following a government announcement in 2024.

70,7 percent of voters said no to the climate fund initiative which called for the Swiss government to allocate more money and effort to combat climate change. Opponents of the proposal argued that there are already measures in place to reach Switzerland’s 2050 net-zero target.

The proposals at the ballot this time around “generated above-average voter turnout”, continues SRF, with between 55 and 56 percent of voters casting a vote. In particular, voter turnout in Swiss cities “increase[d] significantly in recent days”, according to Lukas Golder from GFS Bern.