Health insurance premiums may well be the main concern of the Swiss according to polls, but the June 9 vote which addresses the issue through two initiatives is not yet attracting crowds. Four days before the end of the vote, the participation rate is lower everywhere than it was four days before the votes of March 3, when the people voted in particular on the 13th AVS pension. In the canton of Geneva, Wednesday evening, 30.5% of voters had returned their ballot (compared to 38.4% four days before March 3). In the city of Lausanne, it is even more glaring: the rate reached a little over 20% on Wednesday while it exceeded 35% at the same time before Sunday March 3.
In Zurich, the participation rate was 7% lower on Wednesday and the difference was almost 11% in Basel-Stadt. According to political scientist Mark Balsiger, “the significantly lower electoral participation in predominantly left-wing cities shows that the reduction in premiums is considered by its electorate as less urgent than the 13th AVS pension approved in March”. According to the latest “20 minutes/Tamedia” survey, the initiative to cap bonuses at 10% of income is mainly supported on the left. If participation in cities where a large number of voters are located does not take off, the result could swing to the no side.
