Eleven referendums were held in Switzerland during 2001.[1] The first three were held on 4 March on popular initiatives on joining the European Union, lowering medicine prices and lowering the urban speed limit to 30 km/h in most places. All three were rejected by voters.[2] The next three referendums were held on 10 June on two separate amendments to the federal law on the Swiss army and on a federal resolution on abolishing the requirement for a permit to establish a diocese, all of which were approved.[2]
The final five referendums were held on 2 December on federal resolution on expenditure, which was approved, and four popular initiatives, all of which were rejected. The popular initiatives were "for an assured Aged and Bereaved insurance - tax on energy instead of work," "for an authentic security policy and a Switzerland without army," "Solidarity creates security: for a voluntary civilian peace service" and "for a capital gains tax."[1]
| Month | Question | For | Against | Blank/invalid | Total | Registered voters | Turnout | Cantons for | Cantons against | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Blank | Invalid | Full | Half | Full | Half | ||||||
| align=left rowspan=3 | March | European Union membership | 597,217 | 23.2 | 1,982,549 | 76.8 | 24,106 | 12,247 | 2,616,119 | 4,688,461 | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 |
| Lower medicine prices | 791,589 | 30.9 | 1,774,129 | 69.1 | 33,816 | 12,474 | 2,612,008 | 55.7 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| Urban speed limit of 30 km/h | 525,609 | 20.3 | 2,063,314 | 79.7 | 15,095 | 12,121 | 2,616,139 | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | June | Federal law on the military amendment (1) | 1,002,297 | 51.0 | 963,329 | 49.0 | 23,112 | 8,920 | 1,997,658 | 4,698,399 | 42.5 | ||||
| Federal law on the military amendment (2) | 1,001,274 | 51.1 | 956,503 | 48.9 | 29,967 | 8,986 | 1,996,730 | 42.5 | |||||||
| Abolishing permits for creating diocese | 1,194,556 | 64.2 | 666,108 | 35.8 | 104,957 | 10,037 | 1,975,658 | 42.0 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | December | Federal resolution on expenditure | 1,472,259 | 84.7 | 265,090 | 15.3 | 38,522 | 6,510 | 1,782,381 | 4,712,583 | 37.8 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| For an assured Aged and Bereaved insurance | 397,747 | 22.9 | 1,342,001 | 77.1 | 37,319 | 6,440 | 1,783,507 | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| For an authentic security policy | 384,905 | 21.9 | 1,372,420 | 78.1 | 23,609 | 6,364 | 1,787,298 | 37.9 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| Solidarity creates security | 404,870 | 23.2 | 1,339,221 | 76.8 | 33,323 | 6,446 | 1,783,860 | 37.9 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| For a capital gains tax | 594,927 | 34.1 | 1,149,182 | 65.9 | 33,048 | 6,414 | 1,783,571 | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | |||
| align=left colspan=15 | Source: Nohlen | ||||||||||||||