Swiss Referendums, 2005 - June Referendums - Registered Partnerships

Registered Partnerships

Switzerland was the last republic in Europe to give women the right to vote but in this referendum the Swiss became the first in Europe to hold a referendum on increased rights for same-sex couples. Approval in the referendum would mean that same-sex couples would be able to register their partnerships at civil register offices. These registered partnerships would be legally binding agreements which could only be dissolved in the courts. Same-sex couples would get the same inheritance, pension, social security and tax rights and obligations as heterosexual couples. However they would not get the right to adopt or get fertility treatment.

A leader of the campaign for the approval of registered partnerships estimated that about 5 to 10% of the population were homosexual however the government did not expect a large number of people to register their partnerships. Registered partnerships had already been introduced in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Zurich. Parliament approved the introduction of the registered partnerships but conservatives gathered the necessary number of signatures to force a referendum.

The government's opinion was that Switzerland needed registered partnerships as the current situation gave "insufficient legal protection" for such same-sex relationships. Opponents including the Swiss People's Party, Evangelical People's Party and some church groups opposed the introduction of the partnerships as they wanted to keep marriage and the family as a special status. A poll in April showed 66% in favour and 24% against, while another in May had 67% in favour and 24% against.