Swiss Voters Reject Right-Wing Plan to Cut Public Broadcaster Licence Fee

Swiss voters have rejected an initiative to sharply reduce the annual licence fee for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). The fee, which has already been reduced in recent years, currently costs 335 Swiss francs (£320; $435) per household per year. The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, had called for the fee to be cut to 200 francs (£190; $260) annually, with businesses exempt. However, the initiative was defeated in Sunday’s referendum, receiving only 38% support, while 62% voted to maintain the current fee. The Swiss People’s Party argued that the licence fee was too high, particularly in light of the rising cost of living. They also noted that Switzerland’s fee is higher than in neighbouring countries such as Austria or Germany. The government and all other parliamentary parties opposed the proposal, arguing that the licence fee is essential to ensure proper representation of Switzerland’s four languages — French, German, Italian, and Romansch. There were also concerns that a reduction would negatively impact foreign news and sports coverage. Under existing plans, the Swiss government has already decided to gradually reduce the fee to 300 Swiss francs by 2029, while exempting more companies. Swiss Voters Also Protect Cash in Constitution In a separate referendum, Swiss voters supported enshrining the availability of cash in the constitution. Two proposals were considered: an initiative called “Cash is Freedom,” introduced by the citizens’ movement MSL, and a government counter-proposal. Around 70% of voters supported the government’s counter-proposal, which guarantees that the Swiss National Bank will maintain the supply of cash. The MSL initiative, which specifically emphasized “coins and banknotes,” argued that the government proposal did not go far enough.

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