In the fourth, and last, round of national referendums in 2026, Swiss voters will have their say on four issues when they go to the polls in November.
Nothing as controversial as June’s ‘No to 10 million’ initiative will be on the November 29th ballot, but Swiss citizens will nevertheless have to decide on certain issues, the outcome of which will impact the lives of some.
They are:
Financing of the 13th state pension (AHV/AVS)
This additional pension had already been approved in a March 2024 referendum, and the first payment is scheduled for December 2026.
However, the government has not yet been decided how this additional payout — to the tune of 4.2 billion francs a year — will be financed.
The Federal Council proposes to raise the Value Added Tax (VAT) by 0.4 points from 2028 – a move expected to yield about 1.5 billion francs annually to partially fund this extra expense.
Voters will have to approve this mode of financing before the payouts can be made.
Restricting fireworks
This measure aims to protect humans, animals, and the environment by banning the sale and use of noisy pyrotechnics – permitting, however certain exceptions for major regional events, on the basis of exemptions granted by the cantons.
Individual taxation of married couples
The long-debated issue of changing the taxation regime for married people from the current joint to individual will finally reach resolution, one way or another.
On March 8th, 2026, 54.26 percent of voters had already approved this measure, so why is this issue brought to the ballot box again in November?
This time, voters will weigh on the initiative launched by the Centre Party to restore joint taxation, thus contesting the shift to individual taxation approved in March.
READ MORE: How would Switzerland’s planned individual tax law affect you?
Exports of war material
Currently, Swiss legislation bans the export, or re-export by third countries, of weapons and other military equipment to countries involved in armed conflicts.
In December 2025, however, the Parliament adopted a revision of this law, in order to facilitate the sale of military equipment to countries that share Switzerland’s values – like Ukraine, for instance.
But an initiative brought by a broad alliance of left-wing parties and NGOs opposes the easing of the current terms, and voters will weigh in on their proposal on November 27th.
But first…the September referendum
Before the four issues on the November ballot, citizens will go to the polls on September 27th.
They will vote on two objects: one concerns food and the other, neutrality.
The first one aims to ensure safe food, through strengthened sustainable local protection, more plant-based foods, and clean drinking water.
The other seeks to enshrine Switzerland’s neutrality in the Constitution:
READ MORE: The future of Swiss neutrality to be decided at the ballot box
