Executive Summary
Federal Chancellor Viktor Rossi emphasizes in his opening speech at the 2026 Aarau Democracy Days that trust forms the foundation of Swiss democracy – both as a strength and as a vulnerability. The low-threshold design of political participation rights requires mutual trust between the state and citizens. At the same time, this trust must be protected through transparent controls, clear rules, and open communication, particularly in light of the signature collection forgeries uncovered in 2024.
People
- Viktor Rossi (Federal Chancellor)
Topics
- Direct democracy and participation rights
- Trust in institutions
- Integrity of signature collections
- Voter turnout and citizen participation
- Transparency and error culture
Clarus Lead
Swiss democracy functions according to the principle of trust in advance rather than mistrust: citizens can support initiatives and referendums with minimal hurdles, without prior state registration or identity verification. This deliberately low-threshold approach enables broad participation, but presupposes that the state trusts citizens and citizens trust the state. The signature forgeries uncovered in 2024 demonstrate the vulnerability of this system, but do not require its abolition – rather, they call for strengthened protective measures through transparency and control.
Detailed Summary
Rossi outlines three central insights into the role of trust in direct democracy. First, Swiss democracy is deliberately open and low-threshold in structure: with 100,000 signatures, the people can demand a constitutional amendment; with 50,000, they can initiate a referendum. In international comparison, this is extraordinary – only 11 of 204 countries enable fully postal voting. This accessibility is based on trust in citizens' judgment, not mistrust.
Second, trust is not a one-way street. The state must trust that signatures are not forged and that committees act responsibly. A democracy that initially treats every citizen as a risk loses its liberal character. However, low-threshold systems can be abused – as the 2024 scandals involving manipulated signatures demonstrated. The answer does not lie in higher hurdles, but in resolute abuse prevention: clear accountability, municipal verification, and a code of conduct for collectors.
Third, trust must be protected through transparency, fair procedures, and open error culture. Official openness – even about mistakes – creates trust better than secrecy. A current example: Basel-Stadt and the Federal Chancellery transparently informed the public that electronic votes from approximately 2,000 Swiss citizens abroad could not be counted. Regarding voter turnout, Rossi relativizes the narrative of declining trust: the 15-year average is 47.1 percent, most recently 55.6 percent. Approximately 80 percent of the voting population participate selectively or regularly.
Key Messages
Trust is both strength and vulnerability: Low-threshold access to participation rights enables broad participation but can be abused.
Mutual trust is necessary: Citizens must trust institutions, the state must trust citizens – not the reverse, building a surveillance society.
Protection through transparency, not isolation: Open communication, clear rules, and error culture preserve trust better than a presumption of mistrust.
Voter turnout is more stable than often assumed: 80 percent of Swiss citizens participate selectively or regularly in elections and votes.
Signature forgery is document falsification: The manipulations uncovered in 2024 are criminally relevant (up to 5 years imprisonment), but require system reforms, not system destruction.
Critical Questions
Evidence & Data Quality: How valid are the voter turnout figures (47.1% average, 55.6% most recently)? Which time periods and voting types are included, and how is selective participation statistically recorded?
Conflicts of Interest & Incentives: What incentives do initiative and referendum committees have to manipulate signatures, and how widespread is this phenomenon really? Who benefits from higher control hurdles?
Causality & Alternatives: Is the low-threshold approach really the cause of signature forgeries, or is it inadequate controls and lack of consequences? Which countries with higher hurdles have less abuse?
Feasibility & Risks: How effective is the announced code of conduct without legal sanctions? Can municipalities comprehensively verify all signatures without creating delays?
Transparency Deficits: How many signature forgeries were actually discovered in 2024, and how many might remain undetected? What data on frequency is publicly available?
System Vulnerability: How robust is the system against organized manipulation by commercial collectors, and what control mechanisms exist for these actors?
Trust Paradox: Can a system based on trust in advance be simultaneously protected by enhanced controls without changing its character?
International Comparability: Are the 11 of 204 countries with postal voting really comparable, or do they have other control mechanisms that prevent abuse?
Sources
Primary Source: Opening Speech Federal Chancellor Viktor Rossi – Aarau Democracy Days 2026 – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/WdOmwi15oahnGQTyK3A_T
Verification Status: ✓ March 13, 2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: March 13, 2026