Four proposals are on the ballot. Each section gives the official title, what a Yes and a No vote mean, the official recommendation and the arguments printed in the booklet for each side.
official English title (admin.ch)
German: Bundesbeschluss über die Zusatzfinanzierung der AHV durch eine Erhöhung der Mehrwertsteuer
French: Arrêté fédéral sur le financement additionnel de l’AVS par le biais d’un relèvement de la TVA
Federal decree amending the Federal Constitution (mandatory referendum). To pass it needs a majority of voters and a majority of cantons.
Ballot question (translated): Do you accept the Federal Decree of 19 June 2026 on additional funding for the OASI by increasing value added tax?
English translation (AI-assisted) by Vote Book of the official German booklet text.
In March 2024 voters approved a 13th annual OASI (AHV/AVS) old-age pension, first paid in December 2026 to about 2.6 million pensioners. It costs over CHF 4 billion a year at first and later over CHF 5 billion; the Confederation covers just over one fifth, and the rest is currently not financed.
The standard VAT rate rises by 0.4 percentage points and the special rate for accommodation by 0.2 points, with all of the extra revenue going to the OASI compensation fund. VAT on certain everyday goods such as food and medicines is not raised. The booklet estimates about CHF 1.4 billion a year in extra OASI revenue, covering, together with the federal contribution, about half of the 13th pension’s extra cost. The increase can take effect at the earliest at the start of 2028.
VAT is not raised for this purpose. The 13th pension approved in 2024 is not affected by this vote, but this additional source of funding does not come in.
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a Yes vote. Final vote in Parliament: National Council 108 yes, 85 no, 6 abstentions; Council of States 28 yes, 13 no, 3 abstentions.
Both summaries below are from the “In brief” pages of the booklet and are shown at the length printed there.
Federal Council and Parliament
The Federal Council and Parliament want a financially stable OASI and see the VAT increase for the 13th pension as an important step. Through VAT the cost of the expansion is spread across all generations; certain everyday goods such as food are exempt.
Official link given in the booklet: admin.ch/ahv-zusatzfinanzierung
Committee / minority
A minority of Parliament opposes the proposal. It wants the 13th pension to be financed as part of the next pension reform, with the OASI stabilised not only through extra revenue but also through structural measures such as raising the retirement age.
Official link given in the booklet: parlament.ch > 24.073
Sources: Official booklet (DE) · FR · IT · admin.ch vote page · all sources
official English title (admin.ch)
German: Volksinitiative «Für eine Einschränkung von Feuerwerk»
French: Initiative populaire « Pour une limitation des feux d’artifice »
Popular initiative to amend the Federal Constitution. To pass it needs a majority of voters and a majority of cantons.
Ballot question (translated): Do you accept the popular initiative ‘For a restriction on fireworks’?
English translation (AI-assisted) by Vote Book of the official German booklet text.
Many rules already govern fireworks, such as age limits and permit requirements, and cantons and communes can restrict or ban their sale and use.
The Constitution would ban the sale and use of fireworks that produce noise. The initiative leaves open exactly which fireworks count as noise-producing. According to the initiators, low-noise items such as Bengal lights and traditional ‘volcanoes’ would remain allowed. Cantons could grant exceptions for events of supra-regional importance, such as the 1 August national holiday; even then, private individuals could not set off noise-producing fireworks.
The current rules stay in place, and cantons and communes keep their power to restrict fireworks.
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a No vote. Final vote in Parliament: National Council 131 no, 50 yes, 18 abstentions; Council of States 40 no, 3 yes, 1 abstention.
Both summaries below are from the “In brief” pages of the booklet and are shown at the length printed there.
Federal Council and Parliament
For the Federal Council and Parliament the initiative goes too far. For many people fireworks are part of celebrating 1 August or New Year’s Eve. The burden is limited to a few days a year, use is already tightly regulated, and cantons and communes can restrict fireworks further.
Official link given in the booklet: admin.ch/feuerwerksinitiative
Committee / minority
According to the committee, the initiative protects people, animals and the environment and creates clear national rules. It targets the source of the burden: loud, banging fireworks in private use. Public fireworks displays and quiet fireworks such as volcanoes would remain possible.
Official link given in the booklet: feuerwerksinitiative.ch
Sources: Official booklet (DE) · FR · IT · admin.ch vote page · all sources
English title as used by the Federal Tax Administration (estv.admin.ch)
German: Volksinitiative «Ja zu fairen Bundessteuern auch für Ehepaare – Diskriminierung der Ehe endlich abschaffen!»
French: Initiative populaire « Oui à des impôts fédéraux équitables pour les couples mariés – Pour enfin en finir avec la discrimination du mariage ! »
Popular initiative to amend the Federal Constitution. To pass it needs a majority of voters and a majority of cantons.
Ballot question (translated): Do you accept the popular initiative “Yes to fair federal taxes for married couples too – finally end discrimination against marriage!”?
English translation (AI-assisted) by Vote Book of the official German booklet text.
Married and unmarried couples are currently taxed differently. Under individual taxation, approved by voters on 8 March 2026, everyone will be taxed on their own income and assets at federal and cantonal level from 2032.
The Constitution would state that, for direct federal tax, a married couple’s incomes continue to be added together, and that married couples must not be disadvantaged compared with other taxpayers. Parliament would have three years to pass a law; if none is in force by 2030, the Federal Council must introduce an alternative calculation in which the couple pays the lower of the joint and the unmarried-person tax amounts. Based on current rates, the booklet estimates relief, mainly for married couples, of about CHF 680 million to 3 billion a year depending on implementation. At cantonal level, individual taxation would apply from 2032 unless the law is changed.
Individual taxation, approved on 8 March 2026, applies for federal and cantonal taxes from 2032 as planned.
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a No vote. Final vote in Parliament: National Council 102 no, 97 yes, 0 abstentions; Council of States 24 no, 20 yes, 0 abstentions.
Both summaries below are from the “In brief” pages of the booklet and are shown at the length printed there.
Federal Council and Parliament
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend rejecting the initiative. In their view the so-called marriage penalty has already been removed by individual taxation; the initiative would favour married couples over unmarried people and could create uncertainty by leading to conflicting tax systems at federal and cantonal level.
Official link given in the booklet: admin.ch/ehepaarbesteuerung
Committee / minority
For the committee the initiative stands for modernity, fairness and simplicity. It offers a pragmatic solution and sets a clear principle in the Constitution: married couples are assessed jointly for direct federal tax and must not be disadvantaged compared with other taxpayers.
Official link given in the booklet: ja-zu-fairness.ch
Sources: Official booklet (DE) · FR · IT · admin.ch vote page · Federal Tax Administration — joint taxation · all sources
official English title (admin.ch)
German: Änderung des Bundesgesetzes über das Kriegsmaterial (Kriegsmaterialgesetz, KMG)
French: Modification de la loi fédérale sur le matériel de guerre
Amendment to a federal act, put to the vote because a referendum was called against it. To pass it needs a majority of voters only.
Ballot question (translated): Do you accept the amendment of 19 December 2025 to the Federal Act on War Materiel (War Materiel Act, WMA)?
English translation (AI-assisted) by Vote Book of the official German booklet text.
The War Materiel Act sets the conditions for exporting weapons, weapon systems and weapon components. Today an export is not authorised if, for example, the destination country is involved in an armed conflict or violates human rights, or if there is a risk the materiel will be used against civilians or passed on unlawfully.
Parliament’s amendment takes effect: war materiel may be supplied to a partner state involved in an armed conflict if this is compatible with neutrality and Switzerland’s foreign and security policy interests; the Federal Council may depart from the authorisation criteria in exceptional circumstances where Switzerland’s interests require it; and buyer states no longer have to promise in every case to re-export only with Switzerland’s consent. Authorisations must still always comply with the law of neutrality, human rights and Switzerland’s other international obligations.
The amendment does not take effect, and the current export rules stay in place.
The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a Yes vote. Final vote in Parliament: National Council 122 yes, 68 no, 6 abstentions; Council of States 31 yes, 11 no, 1 abstention.
Both summaries below are from the “In brief” pages of the booklet and are shown at the length printed there.
Federal Council and Parliament
With the planned changes the Federal Council and Parliament want to ensure that Switzerland can export war materiel to partner states and maintain a competitive domestic arms industry, which they see as a precondition for neutral Switzerland to be able to defend itself if attacked.
Official link given in the booklet: admin.ch/kriegsmaterialgesetz
Committee / minority
According to the committee, weakening the War Materiel Act would allow Swiss weapons to be sold or passed on to states that do not respect the rule of law, which would clearly raise the risk of them ending up with terrorist groups and in wars. In its view the change would seriously harm security and Swiss neutrality.
Official link given in the booklet: kriegsmaterial-referendum.ch
Sources: Official booklet (DE) · FR · IT · admin.ch vote page · SECO — vote on the amendment to the War Material Act · all sources
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