Executive Summary

On 19 June 2026, the Federal Council adopted its statement on the report of the Audit Committee of the Council of States (GPK-S) and agrees with all four recommendations to combat alleged signature forgeries in popular initiatives. The Federal Chancellery (BK) has already implemented enhanced controls during the counting process, operates reporting monitoring, and has established a voluntary code of conduct. The GPK-S investigated BK activities from September 2024 to April 2026 and assessed the measures taken as purposeful and proportionate. A review of the appropriateness of all measures is planned by the end of 2026.

Persons

  • Federal Chancellery (BK) – Swiss federal authority for administrative affairs
  • Audit Committee of the Council of States (GPK-S) – Parliamentary control body

Topics

  • Popular initiatives and signature collection
  • Integrity of voting processes
  • Government control mechanisms
  • Swiss direct democracy

Clarus Lead

The measures signal an escalation of government control over Switzerland's grassroots democratic instruments. With updated guidelines, codes of conduct, and expanded risk management processes, the Federal Council is responding to a structural trust problem in the signature collection process. Implementation by the end of 2026 indicates that the integrity of popular initiatives is now classified as a core risk for the federal government – a reassessment that raises fundamental questions about the scalability of direct democracy.

Detailed Summary

The Federal Chancellery has expanded its control system in multiple stages. In addition to enhanced controls during signature counting, this includes reporting monitoring for municipalities to detect suspected cases early, as well as a voluntary code of conduct for initiative and referendum committees. The BK also updated its guidelines that have been in effect since 2015 and adapted instructions for voting rights certificates – particularly for so-called "family cases," where multiple household members sign.

The BK's risk management was expanded conceptually: the core risk "Serious irregularities in federal voting processes" now explicitly includes the integrity of signature collection. The BK's communication practices with committees and municipalities are to be continued to convey changes in practice promptly. These measures aim to promote uniform implementation by municipalities and to initiate criminal charges when suspected cases are confirmed.

Key Statements

  • The Federal Council agrees with all four GPK-S recommendations to combat signature forgeries
  • Enhanced controls, reporting monitoring, and a code of conduct are already being implemented
  • The BK has expanded its risk management and classified signature integrity as a core risk
  • Review of measure appropriateness planned by end of 2026

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: How many confirmed forgery cases did the GPK-S identify during its investigation period (Sept. 2024–April 2026), and what evidence basis underlies the assessment of the measures as "proportionate"?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent could enhanced control mechanisms by the BK itself raise the bar for signature collection and thereby systematically disadvantage marginalized positions?

  3. Causality: Are there alternatives to expanded controls (e.g., digital signature procedures or decentralized validation), and why were these not recommended?

  4. Feasibility: How are municipalities with different resources to ensure uniform implementation, and what sanction mechanisms exist for non-compliance?

  5. Side Effects: Could the introduction of a "code of conduct" for initiative committees lead to self-censorship and thus weaken the mobilization capacity of popular initiatives?

  6. Monitoring Effect: What data does the reporting monitoring collect, who has access to it, and how is data protection ensured when recording "suspected cases"?

Sources

Primary Source: Statement by the Federal Council on the GPK-S report on signature forgeries – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/SAXxT1qjQsoW61FRQwvLf

Verification Status: ✓ 23.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 23.06.2026