Eight referendums were held in Switzerland during 2002.[1] The first two were held on 3 March on popular initiatives for Switzerland to join the United Nations and to reduce working hours. UN membership was approved, whilst the shorter working hours proposal was rejected.[1] The next two were held on 2 June on amending the penal code regarding abortion, which was approved, and a popular initiative "for mother and child", which was rejected.[1]
The next set referendums was held on 22 September, with a popular initiative on adding surplus gold reserves to the country's pension fund and a counter-proposal, as well as a federal law on the electricity market. All three were rejected.[1] The final two referendums were held on 24 November on a popular initiative "against misuse of asylum rights" and a federal law on compulsory unemployment insurance and compensation for insolvencies. The asylum proposal was rejected, whilst the federal law was approved.[1]
| Month | Question | For | Against | Blank/invalid | Total | Registered voters |
Turnout | Cantons for | Cantons against | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Blank | Invalid | Full | Half | Full | Half | |||||
| March | United Nations membership | 1,489,110 | 54.6 | 1,237,629 | 45.4 | 20,386 | 11,800 | 2,758,925 | 4,721,422 | 58.4 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 4 |
| Reducing working hours | 686,935 | 25.4 | 2,021,198 | 74.6 | 30,981 | 11,665 | 2,750,779 | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | ||
| June | Strafgesetzbuch amendment on abortion | 1,399,545 | 72.2 | 540,105 | 27.8 | 30,008 | 8,465 | 1,978,123 | 4,730,594 | 41.8 | ||||
| Popular initiative "for mother and child" | 352,432 | 18.2 | 1,578,870 | 81.8 | 32,912 | 8,382 | 1,972,596 | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | ||
| September | Surplus gold reserves into pension fund[a] | 984,058 | 46.4 | 1,085,072 | 51.1 | 10,997 | 9,663 | 2,143,027 | 4,744,197 | 45.2 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 6 |
| Counter-proposal on gold reserves[a] | 984,537 | 46.4 | 1,057,398 | 49.8 | 10,997 | 9,663 | 2,143,027 | 49.8 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 5 | ||
| Electricity market law | 972,770 | 47.4 | 1,078,412 | 52.6 | 62,974 | 11,058 | 2,125,214 | 44.8 | ||||||
| November | Popular initiative on asylum | 1,119,342 | 49.9 | 1,123,550 | 50.1 | 23,749 | 9,941 | 2,276,582 | 4,749,994 | 47.9 | ||||
| Federal law on unemployment insurance | 1,234,793 | 56.1 | 966,430 | 43.9 | 50,879 | 10,019 | 2,262,121 | 47.6 | ||||||
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||||||||||||||
a In the referendum with the counter-proposal voters could also give no answer. For the main question 53,237 voters (2.5%) did not answer, whilst for the counter-proposal 80,432 (3.8%) did not answer.[2]
Switzerland
