Front initiative
As front initiative which was federal popular initiative for a total revision of the Federal Constitution in contemporary political jargon called. The initiative failed on September 8, 1935 with 72.3% no in the referendum.
Voting result
The turnout of 60.9% was rather mediocre compared to other referendums in the 1930s. In a total of 17 votes between 1931 and 1940, the turnout was ten times above this value. Those entitled to vote rejected the initiative with 72.3% no votes compared to 27.7% yes votes. Since the initiative was formulated in the form of a general suggestion, a simple popular majority according to Art. 121 of the Federal Constitution valid at the time was sufficient for adoption. The rejection was strongest in the cantons of Bern, Basel, Zurich and Appenzell Ausserrhoden. It was accepted in the cantons of Valais, Friborg, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Obwalden.
content
According to Articles 120 and 96 of the Federal Constitution in force at the time, the initiative required a total revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The possibility of calling for a total revision of the Federal Constitution by means of a popular initiative had existed since 1848. The actual goal, however, was less the revision than the associated new election of the Federal Assembly, from which the initiators hoped a landslide to the right.
The initiative was launched on March 18, 1934 in Olten at a "Tagsatzung" of the National Front . The initiators came from the corporate state movement and expected that the newly drafted constitution would transform the Swiss state system into an authoritarian democracy or a corporate state based on the Austrian or Italian model. It was stimulated by Hitler's seizure of power in Germany, after which the Swiss fascists also saw the moment for a takeover of power in Switzerland in the so-called Spring Front . The initiative enjoyed sympathy far beyond the front lines in the young liberal, liberal-conservative and conservative-Catholic camp and among authoritarian-minded members of the military and academic elite in Switzerland. The Catholic-Conservative youth organization, the Young Conservatives, were even among the co-initiators.
Heterogeneous sponsorship
The broad support of the initiative committee “National community of acts for the referendum for a total revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution” severely hampered the finding of a consensus. In fact, the National Front, New Switzerland , The Aufgebot and the young conservatives were united. So the initiators could not agree on a draft constitution that could have been presented to the electorate. Instead, the initiative took the form of a general suggestion. There was disagreement, for example, between the fronts, which were striving for a centralized leadership state, and the Catholic corporate state supporters, who wanted to strengthen federalism. Even the hoped-for gathering of all opponents of the system to the right of the center only partially succeeded. The young liberals refused to join, although they had been calling for a complete overhaul for a long time. The members of the crime group collected the signatures for themselves, but submitted them together.
The community of crimes submitted 77,578 signatures. Of the major parties, only the Catholic Conservative Party could be won over to support the initiative, but only against strong opposition.
The voting date set by the Federal Council on September 8, 1935 was a disappointment for the initiators, as the hoped-for moment was missed and the ordinary elections to the National Council were due only seven weeks later, making the central request for a staff renewal in Parliament obsolete. The hoped-for propagandistic effect did not materialize either. The National Front even lost voters in the National Council elections, for example.
literature
- Peter Stadler : The discussion about a total revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution 1933–1935. In: Swiss History Journal . Vol. 19 (1969), pp. 75-169, doi: 10.5169 / seals-80617 .
- Walter Wolf: Fascism in Switzerland. The history of the front movement in German-speaking Switzerland 1930–1945. Flamberg, Zurich 1969.