Dissatisfied with the resounding Swiss ‘yes’ to the covid law that established the health passport, just a few dozen protesters gathered this Sunday (28) in front of the seat of government and parliament, under close surveillance by the security forces.
According to the first official results, the “Yes” would exceed 61%, while the participation, around 65%, is the fourth highest since the female vote was introduced in 1971, in a country where the average is 46% in this country. type of query.
The referendum came as the new variant of omicron, classified as “worrying” by the World Health Organization, has once again put the planet on alert.
As a sign of unusual tensions in Switzerland, police blocked the square in front of the seat of government and parliament in Bern on Sunday, anticipating demonstrations.
Precisely, opponents of anti-covid measures called a demonstration in the capital Bern, but only a few dozen gathered in front of the Federal Palace, the seat of government and parliament, surrounded with a wire mesh, to prevent possible invasions.
According to one of Switzerland’s most renowned political scientists, Claude Longchamp, it is the first time the Federal Palace has been sealed off during a federal vote on Sunday.
“The Federal Council must ask itself whether it is not responsible for any excesses, because pushing people to a limit with coercive measures (…) maybe it is putting pressure on people to have strong reactions,” Michelle Cailler, spokeswoman for the AFP, told AFP Friends of the Constitution group, one of the creators of the referendum.
Surveys had already predicted that the population would accept the law, but opponents of vaccines and health approval have organized demonstrations in recent weeks, some of which were banned and filled with violence.
The rise in tensions in Switzerland, a country known for its culture of dialogue and where referendums are held several times a year, was a big surprise.
Many politicians, including Health Minister Alain Berset – who for two years led the fight against the coronavirus in the Alpine country – have received death threats and are now under police protection.
– Only 65% vaccinated –
This Sunday, the Swiss also approved, with more than 60% and in the vast majority of cantons (which have competence in this matter), a popular initiative related to nursing care, asking the Confederation to guarantee an “adequate remuneration” for those who perform services of assistance.
These votes came as Switzerland, like other countries, has been experiencing an outbreak of covid-19 infections since mid-October due to the delta variant.
But unlike other countries in the same situation, the Swiss government has so far refused to tighten control measures at the national level, arguing that the occupation of intensive care beds by patients with coronavirus is relatively low so far (20% ).
However, the government urged the population and tourists to respect basic sanitary measures.
With an overall vaccination rate of around 65%, Switzerland lags behind in vaccination coverage compared to other Western European countries.
It is the second time in less than six months that the population has had to vote on this same law. In June, citizens supported it with 60% of the vote in a first referendum.
However, when the law was modified to give authorities more space to fight the pandemic and allow the establishment of the health passport, those against its implementation decided to call a second referendum.
Denialists reject this “extreme and unnecessary tightening of the law” and denounce the health passport, “which implicitly induces forced vaccination”.
All political movements, with the exception of the populist right-wing UDC, the country’s main party, supported the law.
The government argues that the passport facilitates travel and stays abroad, allows demonstrations to take place and is “in everyone’s reach”, as those who have not been vaccinated and have not had the virus can undergo a PCR test to obtain it.
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