Switzerland votes on whether women must do national service

Swiss voters are currently deciding on a pivotal referendum that could see women, like men, compelled to undertake national service, encompassing military, civil protection, or other public duties.

Proponents of the “citizen service initiative” argue it would bolster social cohesion, creating jobs in areas like environmental prevention, food security, and elderly care.

However, the Swiss Parliament largely opposes the measure, citing significant cost implications and concerns it could hinder the economy by removing tens of thousands of young people from the workforce.

While early polls suggested a close contest, more recent surveys indicate the initiative is likely to fail.

This vote offers a crucial insight into European views on mandatory national duty, particularly amidst anxieties regarding potential spillover from Russia’s war in Ukraine and other geopolitical instabilities.

“Clouds are gathering in the skies of a fragmenting Switzerland. On one hand, there are landslides in the mountains, floods in the plains, cyberattacks, risks of energy shortages or war in Europe. On the other, individualism is growing, and solitude and tensions are growing,” the campaigners argued.

“By proposing a national service for all young people, the initiative responds to exactly what we need: that everybody takes responsibility to work for a stronger Switzerland that’s able to stand up to crises,” they added.

The government countered that the army and civil defense have enough staff to begin with and no more people should be recruited than are needed.

While compulsory military service for women might be seen as “a step toward gender equality,” the government added, the idea would “place an extra burden on many women, who already shoulder a large part of the unpaid work of raising and caring for children and relatives, as well as household tasks.”

“Because equality in the workplace and in society is still not a reality, requiring women to perform civic service would not constitute progress in terms of equality,” it said.

Young men in Switzerland are already required to carry out military service or join civil protection teams. Conscientious objectors can do other types of service, and those who opt out entirely must pay an exemption fee.

The initiative would require all Swiss citizens to do national service — women can currently do so on a voluntary basis — and apply the concept of national security to areas beyond military service or civil protection.

Each year, about 35,000 men take part in mandatory service, at a cost of nearly 1 billion Swiss francs (about $1.25 billion) in terms of government allocations and insurance. Approval of the measure would roughly double both headcount and cost.

The measure would also give parliament the option to require foreigners living in Switzerland to do public service, too.