Swiss voters narrowly approve tighter civil service rules

Swiss voters have narrowly approved a package of six measures designed to make it harder to gain admission to civil service. The reform, passed with 52.4% of the vote, will take effect in mid-2027 and is expected to reduce annual admissions by 40%, from 7,000 to 4,000.

The primary goal of the reform is to strengthen the army's ranks by discouraging soldiers from opting for civil service after their initial recruit training to avoid mandatory refresher courses and shooting practice. The victory, though slim, sends a strong message that the era of civil service being an easy escape from military obligations is over.

Carried by the entire bourgeois political camp, the reform faced a surprisingly tight race. Initial expectations favored its passage, but the final vote was nail-biting, with some late polls even suggesting a potential rejection. Six cantons ultimately voted against the measures, including Geneva, Vaud, Neuchatel, Zurich, Jura, and Basel-Stadt, with the latter two seeing over 60% opposition. Several others, like Fribourg and Bern, approved it by the barest of margins, with Bern at just 50.2%.

A stark urban-rural divide was evident in the voting patterns. Major cities, including those in German-speaking Switzerland, showed significant rejection, with Bern city recording over 73% against the reform. This split highlights differing perspectives on national service obligations between urban centers and more rural areas.