At stake in this Referendum:

• Passage of a proposal that would: Limit the number of foreigners to 18 percent of the population, excluding company managers, scientists and students.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President President Adolf OGI *
• Head of Government: President Adolf OGI
• Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung, Assemblée Federale) consisting of the Council of States (Standerat, Conseil des Etats, or Consiglio degli Stati) with 46 seats* and the National Council (Nationalrat, Conseil National, or Consiglio Nazionale) with 200 seats.

* President of the Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports

* The Council of States, consists of 46 members, two elected from each of 20 cantons and one from each of the six half-cantons, according to cantonal procedure.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• On the question of whether to limit the number of foreigners to 18 percent of the population.

Electoral Requirements

• A majority of overall voters nationally, as well as in 14 of the 26 cantons (or states), is required for the referendum to be enacted.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 7,184,250 (2000)
• Registered Voters: 4,626,215 (2000)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,674,461 (2000)

·         Is Switzerland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (23 January 1987)

·         Has Switzerland ratified CEDAW: Yes (27 March 1997)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 45 (National Council); 9 (Council of States) following the 1999 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 3 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Switzerland a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Switzerland ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (15 April 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 1,077,637 (est.)