(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Swiss canton of Vaud has decided against halving the residential qualification period that foreigners must serve before being able to vote at communal level. This content was published on September 28, 2025 - 17:29 2 minutes Keystone-SDA

• Italiano it VD: respinto voto facilitato agli stranieri nei comuni Original Read more: VD: respinto voto facilitato agli stranieri nei comun

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A constitutional amendment to this effect was rejected at the polls by 56% of voters. The turnout was 43.92%.

+ Why some foreigners choose not to vote in Switzerland

The parliamentary initiative called for the minimum period of residence in Switzerland required for foreigners to be able to vote and be elected in municipalities to be reduced from ten to five years. The three-year period of residence in the canton would have remained unchanged.

The left and the liberal Greens supported the compromise that was narrowly approved by the Grand Council in February, while right-leaning parties opposed the move.

Facilitation for small parties

Vaud voters approved a separate proposal to allow small political parties easier access to the cantonal parliament. The 5% threshold required to obtain a seat can now be reached through alliances of lists, and no longer with a single list.

For the left-wing parties and the liberal Greens this better reflects the will of the voters, while the right fears a fragmentation of majorities and less clarity for voters.

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