(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The idea of clamping down on the rich often enjoys large public support. In practice, it rarely succeeds – even when citizens can vote directly on it. Why not? This content was published on November 30, 2025 - 16:33 9 minutes

As part of the democracy team, I report on the dynamic relationship between citizens and their institutions in Switzerland and abroad. Born in Ireland, I have a BA in European Studies and MA in International Relations. I've been at SWI swissinfo since 2017.

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Inequality is unpopular in the European Union (EU). Across the 27-country bloc, 65% of people would support a tax on the wealthiest 0.001%, a 2024 EurobarometerExternal link survey found. But last year, an effort to kickstart such an idea fell flat when an EU-wide“Citizens Initiative” didn't even make it past the signature-collection stage. Out of 450 million Europeans, just 370,000 signed up – far short of the one million needed.

In Switzerland, where direct democracy is well-oiled, calls to“tax the rich” are more likely to pass this hurdle. In recent years, left-wing initiatives to tax capital gains (2021), scrap lump-sum tax deals (2014), or cap executive pay (2013) have all made it to a public ballot. The latest, a proposal for a 50% levy on big inheritances, gathered 130,000 signatures – in a country of 9 million – to force a public vote on Sunday.

Public support tends to stop there. All the proposals mentioned above failed; the inheritance tax idea was rejected by a hefty 78%, a decade after a similar proposal also flopped. And while this might not come as a political shock, it does raise a“puzzle”, says Patrick Emmenegger, a political scientist at the University of St Gallen. Surveys also show a majority of Swiss are not happy about the growing wealth gap between rich and poor – why doesn't this translate at the ballot box?

>> Inheritance tax and civic duty – how the Swiss voted on Sunday, November 30, 2025:

More More Swiss democracy Swiss voters massively reject inheritance tax, civic duty proposals

This content was published on Nov 30, 2025 The Swiss have overwhelmingly voted against both a proposal for a new tax on big inheritances and a call for all citizens to perform civic duty in Sunday's polls.

Read more: Swiss voters massively reject inheritance tax, civic duty prop

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