Referendums in Switzerland: yes to Frontex, film law and organ donation reform

The Swiss voted on three issues – and the majority were in favour: They approved participation in the EU border protection agency Frontex and new rules for organ donations.

The clearest was the yes to financing the EU border protection agency Frontex: According to projections, 72 percent of Swiss people are in favor of their country participating in the Frontex expansion decided by the EU. Switzerland’s annual contribution is now to increase from CHF 24 to 61 million.

Although Switzerland is not in the EU, it is a member of the Schengen area and is therefore obliged to help finance Frontex. Refugee aid organizations and left-wing parties had campaigned for a no. They referred to the numerous reports of human rights violations and illegal pushbacks by Frontex.

However, if no to Frontex financing, Switzerland would have been threatened with exclusion from the Schengen area. That is why Frontex critics had campaigned for the yes in the referendum.

Future objection solution for organ donations

There was also clear approval for a new regulation for organ donations: 59 percent voted for the so-called objection solution. In future, everyone in Switzerland will be considered a potential organ donor who does not expressly refuse to do so during their lifetime.

So far – similar to Germany – it has been the other way around: organ donation only with consent during lifetime, for example with an organ donor card. With the new rules, the Swiss government wants to ensure that more organs are available for the seriously ill. The opponents feared too much pressure on people who don’t want to donate organs.

Film providers must invest in Switzerland

The opponents of a new Swiss film law could not convince the population either. The yes to so-called “Lex Netflix” means: In the future, international streaming portals and foreign television stations with Swiss advertising windows will also have to invest four percent of their Swiss sales in Switzerland.

This should bring together around CHF 18 million annually for the Swiss film industry. In addition, providers such as Netflix are obliged to offer at least 30 percent European productions.