The SBC initiative seeks to cut the annual licence fee for the national broadcaster from CHF335 ($429) to CHF200 and exempt all businesses.
Jean-Christophe Bott / Keystone
The Swiss have voted on four national issues: a proposal to reduce funding for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), a shift to individual taxation for married couples, the creation of a climate fund, and an initiative – and a counterproposal – to anchor the future of cash in the constitution.
This content was published on
March 8, 2026 – 12:00
I am a climate and science/technology reporter. I am interested in the effects of climate change on everyday life and scientific solutions.
Born in London, I am a dual citizen of Switzerland and the UK. After studying modern languages and translation, I trained as a journalist and joined swissinfo.ch in 2006. My working languages are English, German, French and Spanish.
Will the Swiss agree to almost halve the radio and TV licence fee – a move supporters say would ease pressure on households and businesses?
According to early trends reported by the gfs.bern research institute at 12pm, the “SBC initiativeExternal link” is likely to fail clearly alongside the climate fund proposal. The individual taxation for married couples initiative is unclear at this stage. However, Lukas Golder, a political scientist at gfs.bern institute said as mobilisation of voters in cities has been high, he expects a yes vote.
Support for the counterproposal to anchor the future of cash in the constitution is strongest.
A first results projection is expected at 12:30pm. Further results are expected within hours, along with those for the other proposals.
The “SBC initiativeExternal link”, backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, the Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts and the youth wing of the centre-right Radical-Liberal Party, seeks to cut the annual licence fee for the national broadcaster from CHF335 ($429) to CHF200 and exempt all businesses. Swissinfo is part of the SBC which funds half its budget via the licence fee.
Recent polls suggested opponents had gained ground and that battle lines were largely fixed, but the contest remained close. Ten days before the vote, a survey by the gfs.bern research institute reported 54% opposed, 44% in favour and 2% undecided, up two percentage points from around one month earlier. Opposition is strong on the left and centre; Radical-Liberal supporters are divided but lean towards a no vote.
Supporters argue Switzerland’s licence fee — the highest in the world — must fall as living costs rise. They say the SBC should refocus on its core public service mission and that CHF850 million ($1.1 billion) would cover essential services. They also claim audiences are shrinking, especially younger ones; mistrust of the public broadcaster remains highest in German-speaking regions.
Opponents include the government, parliament, all governing parties except the Swiss People’s Party, and cultural, scientific and sports organisations. They warn that such cuts would severely reduce programming and regional coverage, undermining the diversity and quality of public-service media. They stress the SBC’s unique role serving all four national languages and its independence from commercial ownership.
This is the second attempt to cut SBC funding. The “No Billag” initiative to abolish the licence fee entirely was rejected by 71% of voters in 2018. Even if today’s proposal fails, the fee will still be reduced to CHF300 per household by 2029 after a government decision.
>> Read more in our explainer on the SBC initiative:
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Swiss Politics
Explainer: Swiss to vote on initiative to cut media licence fee
This content was published on
Jan 12, 2026
The “SBC initiative” would reduce the licence fee for households and abolish it for companies. What are the arguments for and against?
Read more: Explainer: Swiss to vote on initiative to cut media licence fee
The end of the ‘marriage tax penalty’?
Swiss voters are also deciding Sunday on a referendumExternal link challenging parliament’s decision last year to introduce individual – rather than joint – taxation for married couples. After strong early backing, support for the tax overhaul weakened over the campaign: initial trends after voting closed at midday suggested that the outcome was still unclear.
Currently, married couples file a joint tax return, with both incomes and assets combined. Depending on their income split, they may pay more or less than unmarried couples. Under the reform, each spouse would file separately and be taxed on their own income. In most cases, this would reduce the overall tax bill for married couples where both spouses work and eliminate the so called “marriage penalty”.
Supporters, such as women’s section of the Radical-Liberal Party, argue individual taxation would encourage women to work more, improve career prospects and pensions, and help ease the skilled labour shortage.
Critics, who launched the referendum against the law, said the change would undermine the traditional family model and would benefit dual-income households over single-income ones, especially those with a high income. Cantons also warn of fiscal losses and big administrative burdens in dealing with the volume of new tax returns.
>> For more details, check out our explainer on individual taxation:
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Swiss Politics
Swiss vote on individual taxation: end of the ‘marriage tax penalty’?
This content was published on
Jan 9, 2026
On March 8, Swiss voters will decide whether to introduce individual taxation for married couples.
Read more: Swiss vote on individual taxation: end of the ‘marriage tax penalty’?
A future for cash – but how?
The Swiss are moving away from using cash. Debit cards, credit cards and digital apps – especially Swiss payment app Twint– are increasingly popular. Yet most Swiss are in favour of conserving banknotes and coins, recent studies have showed.
Voters are deciding on Sunday whether to secure the availability of cash in the constitution. They face two options: the popular initiative (“Cash is freedomExternal link”) and the government’s counterproposal. Voters must say yes or no to each, then answer a subsidiary question indicating which option they prefer if both pass.
The initiative was launched by the Swiss Freedom Movement, known for campaigning against mandatory vaccinations. While the government and parliament support the idea of protecting cash, they have put forward their own version.
If approved, the initiative would require the constitution to guarantee the availability of cash. It would spell out that the Swiss franc is the national currency and oblige the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to ensure the supply of cash. The counterproposal uses the broader legal term “cash” instead of “coins or banknotes” and does not stipulate that supply must be “sufficient”.
Politically only the Swiss People’s Party backs the initiative; the counterproposal is supported by both chambers of parliament, the cantons and major business and labour groups. A latest poll showed the initiative slipping to 61% support, while the counterproposal has risen to 70%.
>> Here is our explainer on the “Cash is freedom” initiative:
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Swiss Politics
Swiss to vote on preserving cash as a payment system
This content was published on
Jan 19, 2026
On March 8, the Swiss will decide whether the availability of cash should be enshrined in the constitution. An explainer.
Read more: Swiss to vote on preserving cash as a payment system
Climate fund flop
An initiativeExternal link to create a federal fund to boost the development of renewable energies and protect the country’s biodiversity looks set to fail. The latest gfs.bern poll showed 65% opposed, 31% in favour and 4% undecided.
Launched by the left-wing Social Democratic Party and the Greens, the initiative calls for 0.5% to 1% of Switzerland’s GDP a year – roughly CHF 4–8 billion (2024 figure) – to be invested in climate and nature protection and in expanding renewable energies, including solar power.
The government and a parliamentary majority argue the plan is too costly and would have limited impact, noting Switzerland already spends about CHF2 billion a year on climate and energy measures and CHF600 million on biodiversity.
>> Read more about the climate fund initiative:
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Climate adaptation
Explainer: Should some of Switzerland’s wealth be set aside to fight climate change?
This content was published on
Jan 28, 2026
On March 8, Swiss voters will decide on an initiative to create a fund to accelerate the development of renewable energy in Switzerland. An explainer.
Read more: Explainer: Should some of Switzerland’s wealth be set aside to fight climate change?
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