VAT increase in favour of the old-age insurance

1. Zug✓ Yes majority, Yes share 67.0%, Turnout 57%
2. Nidwalden ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 65.6%, Turnout 57%
3. Appenzell Innerrhoden ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 62.5%, Turnout 52%
4. Lucerne✓ Yes majority, Yes share 62.3%, Turnout 56%
5. Obwalden ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 61.4%, Turnout 59%
6. Thurgau✓ Yes majority, Yes share 60.6%, Turnout 52%
7. Schwyz✓ Yes majority, Yes share 60.5%, Turnout 57%
8. Zurich✓ Yes majority, Yes share 60.3%, Turnout 51%
9. Appenzell Ausserrhoden ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 59.8%, Turnout 56%
10. St. Gallen✓ Yes majority, Yes share 59.5%, Turnout 51%
11. Graubünden✓ Yes majority, Yes share 58.5%, Turnout 49%
12. Aargau✓ Yes majority, Yes share 58.4%, Turnout 50%
13. Uri✓ Yes majority, Yes share 58.3%, Turnout 50%
14. Basel-Landschaft ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 55.4%, Turnout 52%
15. Glarus✓ Yes majority, Yes share 55.2%, Turnout 46%
16. Bern✓ Yes majority, Yes share 54.8%, Turnout 54%
17. Schaffhausen✓ Yes majority, Yes share 54.7%, Turnout 68%
18. Solothurn✓ Yes majority, Yes share 52.9%, Turnout 51%
19. Basel-Stadt ½✓ Yes majority, Yes share 51.6%, Turnout 54%
20. Ticino✓ Yes majority, Yes share 50.7%, Turnout 52%
21. Valais✓ Yes majority, Yes share 50.4%, Turnout 50%
22. Fribourg✗ No majority, Yes share 48.2%, Turnout 53%
23. Vaud✗ No majority, Yes share 45.6%, Turnout 53%
24. Neuchâtel✗ No majority, Yes share 45.3%, Turnout 48%
25. Geneva✗ No majority, Yes share 42.6%, Turnout 47%
26. Jura✗ No majority, Yes share 37.7%, Turnout 53%

✓ Yes majority · ✗ No majority · Turnout %
½ half canton: counts half towards the majority of the cantons.

Sources: Federal Statistical Office (FSO); older votes: Swissvotes, Année Politique Suisse, University of Bern; map base: FSO, GEOSTAT

Cantons by their majority language: Fribourg and Valais count as French-speaking, Bern and Graubünden as German-speaking.

Yes or no?

What exactly is it about?

The AHV is the state old-age pension insurance. According to the Federal Council, its income will soon no longer be enough to pay all pensions, because more people are retiring and pensions are paid for ever longer. The proposal is part of the AHV 21 reform, which has two parts. This part changes the Federal Constitution: the Federal Council raises the standard rate of value-added tax (VAT) by 0.4 percentage points, from 7.7 to 8.1 per cent. The reduced rate, which applies for example to food, medicines and books, rises from 2.5 to 2.6 per cent. The special rate for accommodation rises from 3.7 to 3.8 per cent. The increase applies only if the AHV law sets the same retirement age (reference age) for women and men. All of the revenue goes to the AHV. The Federal Council estimates that the AHV receives about 12.4 billion francs more by 2032 as a result. The second part of the reform is the AHV law. The two parts are linked: if one is rejected, the whole reform fails. Because the Constitution is changed, a vote is compulsory. A majority of the voters and of the cantons is needed.

What is disputed?

The Federal Council and Parliament recommend a yes. They consider the small VAT increase justified and necessary, because it contributes greatly to securing the AHV. Without the extra income, they say, AHV pensions will soon no longer be financed sufficiently, and savings alone would require a drastic cut in benefits. A minority in the National Council rejects the decree. It is not opposed in principle to giving the AHV additional funds, but wants not only to raise VAT but also to give the AHV part of the National Bank’s profits. The referendum committee against the AHV law argues that with the increase everyone pays more while the AHV is cut. It sees better ways to finance pensions and points to the high profits of companies and of the National Bank.

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