Switzerland could become the first country to ban animal testing
Zurich:
Swiss voters will decide in a referendum on Sunday whether animal testing will be the first country to be banned, and tightening controls on cigarette advertising will also be considered.
Activists wanting to end all experiments on mice, rats and other animals collected enough signatures to vote under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, and faced strong opposition from the country’s huge pharmaceutical sector.
The industry, which includes heavyweights Roche and Novartis, says such research is necessary to develop new drugs.
Supporters of a ban on animal testing that killed more than 500,000 animals in Swiss laboratories in 2020, according to government data, say the practice is ethically wrong and unnecessary.
The latest opinion poll showed that 68% of respondents opposed the proposed ban, suggesting it is unlikely to be approved.
The proposal to further restrict tobacco advertising is likely to be accepted, with 63% of respondents in favour.
The voters’ answers are binding on the government, which then decides how to implement the proposals.
The anti-tobacco campaign, which requires a majority of cantons and voters to pass, aims to extend existing advertising restrictions to advertising everywhere young people can see it.
This would include banning advertising in newspapers, cinemas, the internet, at events and on billboards, with proponents saying such ads encourage smoking among young people.
The government says the proposed move goes too far and has put forward counter-proposals that would further reduce advertising but would still allow it in newspapers, shops and online.
Also on Sunday will be a government proposal to scrap a 1% tax on equity raised by a company, a measure said to lower investment costs and support economic growth.
Opponents say scrapping the tax, which brings in around 250 million Swiss francs ($270 million) a year, would primarily benefit big companies, while individual taxpayers would have to make up the shortfall.
Financial support for Swiss media is the last question to be discussed by voters on Sunday. With an aid package of CHF 151 million, the government wants to avert the closure of other local newspapers and radio stations.
With slogans on placards reading “No tax money for media billionaires,” opponents have said the proposal is a waste of public money and could jeopardize media independence.
According to the latest poll data from Swiss broadcaster SRG, the vote could go either way, with 49% against and 46% in favor.