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Switzerland holds multiple referendums per year. /CFP
Swiss voters voted on Sunday to introduce a global minimum tax on businesses and a climate law that aims to cut fossil fuel use and reach zero emissions by 2050.
The results announced by public broadcaster SRF showed 79 percent of those who voted in Sunday's national referendum backed raising the country's business tax to the 15 percent global minimum rate from the current average minimum of 11 percent, while 59 percent supported the climate law.
In 2021, Switzerland joined almost 140 countries that signed up to an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) deal to set a minimum tax rate for big companies, a move aimed at limiting the practice of shifting profits to low tax countries.
Even with the increase, Switzerland will still have one of the lowest corporate tax levels in the world, and the proposal, estimated to bring $2.8 billion per year in additional revenue, has been backed by business groups, most political parties and the general public.
The climate law, brought back in a modified form after it was rejected in 2021 as too costly, has stirred up more debate with those campaigning against it gaining traction in recent weeks.
Proponents say the law is the minimum the wealthy country needs to do to prove its commitment to fighting climate change while opponents from the right-wing People's Party say it will jeopardize energy security.
Approximately four times a year in Switzerland, voting occurs over various issues in national referendums, in which policies are directly voted on by people.
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Copyright © 2023 CGTN. 京ICP备16065310号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466