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Federal initiative for a basic income

Federal initiative for a basic income

This federal initiative was launched by a group of private citizens and not by a political party or group. With this initiative, they invite Swiss people to engage in a debate about the current value of work, its relationship to money growth, consumer society, the gap between wealth and poverty, insecurity, and finally, why not, the concept of granting a right to a dignified and fulfilling life, regardless of any market value.

Signing an initiative does not commit us to the subsequent vote, it's just an opening act for a debate to take place. It is way more important in this case because it's one of the few really grassroot initiatives, without the means of a large organization, and it proposed a debate on a fundamental question: what kind of society do we want today, in the twenty-first century?

The initiative formally succeeded on October 4th, 2013 with 126 '000 valid signatures. It will be submitted to popular vote probably in 2016.

The law

On 11th april 2012, the text of the Federal initiative «For an Unconditional basic income» has been published on the Feuille Federale:

The Constitution has been modified as follows:

Art. 110a (new) Unconditional basic income

  1. The Confederation shall ensure the introduction of an unconditional basic income.

  2. The basic income shall enable the whole population to live in human dignity and participate in public life.

  3. The law shall particularly regulate the way in which the basic income is to be financed and the level at which it is set.

The Initiative's committee

The initiative's committee is composed by ordinary people, coming from civil society:

  • Gabriel Barta, Geneva
  • Daniel Häni, Basel
  • Christian Müller, Schaffhausen
  • Ursula Piffaretti, Zug
  • Ina Praetorius, St. Gallen
  • Franziska Schläpfer, Zurich
  • Oswald Sigg, Bern
  • Daniel Straub, Zurich

This Committee is independant of any political party, religoius confession, lobby or other pressure groups.

Who's supporting the initiative?

The initiative is freely supported by individuals and organizations who wish to give the possibility to the Swiss people to vote for the first time on the proposal of an unconditional basic income

Current supporters are: SYNA (Swiss Young Greens Union), the Vaud cantonal section of the Green Party and many personalities, some of whom publicly stated on our website.

BIEN-Switzerland, whose goal is the introduction of a basic income in Switzerland, of course actively supports this initiative and a member of our Committee, Gabriel Barta, takes individually part of the Initiative Committee.

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