The goal was to introduce stricter environmental regulations that would benefit nature and biodiversity. This included stringent requirements for agriculture, housing construction, and industry. Political parties such as the Greens and left-wing groups supported this initiative. Proponents argued that the country’s rich biodiversity is increasingly under pressure due to urbanization, intensive farming, and infrastructure projects.
On the other hand, Swiss farmers' associations and right-wing parties like the Swiss People's Party (SVP) were strongly opposed to the proposal. They also warned about potential job losses in the agricultural sector.
Ultimately, fears about economic repercussions outweighed the demand for increased environmental protection. The biodiversity initiative was rejected by a substantial majority of the vote (more than 65%). In various cantons, there was an overwhelming 'no' vote, especially in rural areas where agriculture plays a major role.
The Swiss also voted on proposed reforms to the Swiss pension system. The Swiss population is aging rapidly, and without reforms, the current pension system would come under severe strain.
The Swiss government and various economic experts warned that without these reforms the pension system would become unaffordable in the near future. They advocated for measures such as raising the retirement age and revising pension benefits. Among others, the Liberal Party and the Christian Democrats supported the proposal.
Opponents, including trade unions and left-wing parties, pointed out that raising the retirement age would primarily affect lower-income groups who often do physically demanding work and cannot work longer. As with the biodiversity initiative, the population rejected the pension reforms by a significant majority (63%). There was more support for the proposal in urban areas, but nationally, it did not gain enough traction.