2008 Swiss referendums
The final five were held on 30 November on legalising cannabis, making the pension age flexible, restricting the right of appeal of associations against construction projects, amending the constitutional article on narcotics and eliminating the statute of limitations with respect to pornographic crimes against children.
[6] The government and the four other main political parties opposed the naturalisation referendum and preferred the existing system where elected bodies took the decision and where there is a right to appeal.
[2] In the November referendums Swiss voters rejected initiatives aiming at a legalisation of cannabis, at a flexibilisation of the pension age and at restricting the right of appeal of associations against construction projects.
[12] The initiative "for the elimination of the statute of limitations with respect to pornographic crimes against children" (German: Für die Unverjährbarkeit pornografischer Straftaten an Kindern, French: Pour l'imprescriptibilité des actes de pornographie enfantine) provided for an amendment to the Swiss Federal Constitution, introducing a new article 123b stating that "the prosecution of sexual or pornographic infractions against prepubescent children, as well as the penalty for such infractions, are not subject to the statute of limitations".
[13] The proponents of the initiative argued that victims of pedophilia often take a long time to become old enough and muster the courage to bring the perpetrators, who are often members of their immediate family, to justice.
Finally, the federal authorities argued that a previous change in law had already accomplished much of what the proponents desired, fixing the period of prescription at 15 years starting with the 18th birthday of the victim.
[16] The initiative "for a sensible cannabis policy with effective protection of the youth" (German: Für eine vernünftige Hanfpolitik mit wirksamem Jugendschutz, French: Pour une politique raisonnable en matière de chanvre protégeant efficacement la jeunesse) provided for an amendment to the Federal Constitution.
It would have introduced a new article 105b declaring the consumption, purchase and production of cannabis for personal use to be legal, while charging the federal authorities with ensuring an adequate protection of the Swiss youth.
[20] The revision of the federal statute on narcotics (German: Bundesgesetz über die Betäubungsmittel und die psychotropen Stoffe, French: Loi fédérale sur les stupéfiants et les substances psychotropes) was adopted on 20 March 2008 by the Swiss Federal Assembly, with the National Council passing the law by 114 to 68 votes and the Council of States unanimously.
[13] It provided for a statutory basis for the Swiss strategy against illegal drugs practiced since 1999, which consists of four pillars: prevention, harm reduction, therapy and repression.
[12] Objecting to that programme and demanding a strict policy of prohibition, a committee of conservative politicians of the Federal Democratic Union and Swiss People's Party[12] collected 51,969 valid signatures against the change in law, thereby subjecting it to a popular referendum.
[21] The initiative for the restriction of the right of associations to appeal against building projects (German: "de:Verbandsbeschwerderecht: Schluss mit der Verhinderungspolitik - Mehr Wachstum für die Schweiz!
It would have introduced a new article 30a, which would have removed the standing of environmental organizations to take legal action against construction projects approved by popular vote or by a federal, cantonal or municipal legislature.
