"Avoiding Referendums: Ensuring Government Accountability and Public Satisfaction"
In Switzerland, the very "threat" of public initiated referendum helps ensure that the government and political elites make decisions that align with what the people want (most of the time). If they don't, they risk triggering a referendum, which acts as a check on their power.
An "optional referendum" lets citizens challenge a decision made by parliament. To do this, they need to gather 50,000 signatures within 100 days, or it can be requested by eight cantons. This type of referendum only needs a simple majority vote to pass.
On the other hand a "popular initiative" is another tool that allows citizens, a party, or any organization to propose new laws. They must collect 100,000 signatures within 18 months. This initiative is powerful because it lets people not only vote but also propose new principles or laws. To pass, it needs a double majority, meaning both a majority of the overall vote and a majority of cantons.
The very "threat" of a referendum forces politicians to work together and consult various groups, such as experts and lobbyists, "before" making decisions. This makes Swiss politics more cooperative and less confrontational. Politicians aim to avoid referendums by addressing potential opposition early on and involving all relevant parties in the decision-making process.
This process has made Swiss democracy more inclusive, as it now involves more actors in policymaking. However, even with thorough consultations, it’s not always possible to predict or avoid a referendum.
Politicians are educated through experience to try to anticipate the needs of the people to prevent referendums or popular initiatives, but sometimes these votes are inevitable. It is great to have the "threat" of a referendum in the public's political toolkit, an it doesn't mean you need to use it. However, having it is better than not having it.
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