Vote on November 30 What you need to know about the Service-citoyen initiative
On November 30, Switzerland will vote on the Service-citoyen initiative. It calls for a citizen service for all Swiss citizens. blue News clarifies the most important questions and answers about the initiative.
05.11.2025, 09:50
08.11.2025, 17:45
SDA
Who is obliged to serve today?
- Swiss men are currently required to serve in the army or civil defense.
- Those who cannot reconcile service with their conscience can do alternative civilian service, which lasts longer than military service.
- Those who are unable to serve and are between 19 and 37 years old generally owe a substitute service fee.
- Women can do voluntary service.
According to the Department of Defense, the funding and operational readiness of the army is at risk in the medium term, partly due to transfers to civilian service. There is already an understaffing in civil defense.
What is the initiative calling for?
The popular initiative "For a committed Switzerland (Service-citoyen-Initiative)" calls for civil service for all Swiss men and women, for the general public and the environment.
This could either be service in the army or civil defence or another equivalent and legally recognized militia service. Examples include civil protection, cyber defense, education, agriculture and healthcare. Those who perform service should receive appropriate compensation.
Every person should be able to serve where they are needed, but the needs of the army and civil defense must be met. The obligation should apply to Swiss nationals.
However, the law will later specify whether and - if so - how people without a Swiss passport will also have to perform civil service.
Other points are still open and need to be regulated in the law, such as the amount of compensation for loss of earnings, the duration of civic service and the substitute levy for those who do not perform compulsory service.
What could compulsory service look like?
Bern is currently discussing what compulsory service should look like in the future. The Federal Council is proposing two options:
- One is compulsory security service for men, which would have to be performed in the military or in a future civil protection organization - it would combine civil protection and civilian service.
- The second variant is a "demand-oriented compulsory service", which would now also apply to women. However, only those who are actually needed in the army and civil defense would have to enlist. Civilian service would remain in place. The DDPS must submit a proposal to the Federal Council by the end of 2027 on how to proceed. Meanwhile, Parliament has called for the introduction of compulsory security service for men as quickly as possible in a motion.
Parliament has also decided that those subject to compulsory civilian service must perform part of their duties in civil defense if civil defense has too few personnel.
Finally, the Federal Council wants to make the army orientation day compulsory for women. Young women should have to be informed about Switzerland's security and army policy issues. A consultation draft should be available by the end of the year.
How much does compulsory service cost for everyone?
According to the Department of Defense, around 35,000 people are currently required to serve every year. Around 28,000 enlist in the army, civil defense or alternative civilian service. If all Swiss men and women were obliged to serve, the number of recruits would increase to around 70,000 per year.
Compensation costs around 800 francs for the approximately eight million days of service per year and around 160 million francs for military insurance. If women were also required to serve, both items would roughly double to CHF 1.6 billion and CHF 320 million respectively.
This would be at the expense of salary contributions in the case of income replacement and at the expense of the federal government in the case of military insurance. The compensation levy for those not performing military service currently amounts to around CHF 170 million per year.
According to the Federal Council, it is difficult to estimate how much this sum will increase. The decisive factor will be how parliament shapes the new citizens' service.
Who supports the initiative?
- The initiative committee includes representatives from the SP, Center Party, FDP, Greens and GLP
- GLP and EVP support the initiative
- There was only sporadic support from other parliamentary groups
- Alliance partners include the Pirate Party, the SP Reform Platform, the Young Center, the Young Green Liberals and the Young EPP and the Service citoyen association
What do the supporters say?
The initiators believe that the Federal Council is putting off reforms to the compulsory service system. In the face of natural disasters and crises, everyone needs to be deployed, as the army and civil defense do not have sufficient resources. Citizen service would allow everyone to contribute where they are needed and according to their abilities.
The current compulsory military service for men is outdated and unfair. As women are not recruited, half of the potential is lying idle.
A reform of the compulsory service system is a concern of the population. In the latest study by the Military Academy and the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, there is a two-thirds majority in favor of compulsory service for men and women, with a choice between military, civilian or social service.
Who are the opponents?
- The Federal Council recommends a "no" to the Service Citoyen Initiative
- The National Council and Council of States have rejected it with clear majorities without a counter-proposal
- SVP, SP, FDP, Center Party and Greens also say no
- Employers' association
- Federation of Trade Unions
- Employees' umbrella organization Travailsuisse
- Swiss Federation of Military Societies
What are the opponents' arguments?
Opponents believe that civil service is detrimental to the economy and the army. Twice as many people as today would be absent from work because of the service. And it is not clear how the army could be helped to recruit more personnel should its requirements increase due to the deteriorating security situation. The higher costs for income replacement and military insurance are also cited as arguments.
Furthermore, opponents do not want newly qualified personnel to be unable to work in their profession for a while and instead have to take on jobs for which they are untrained or poorly trained.
The Federal Council points out that people would be recruited far beyond the needs of the army and civil defense, and that services performed outside of the army and civil defense could conflict with the ban on forced labor.
What are the initiative's chances?
The starting position for the initiative is currently tight. According to the first SRG trend survey, 48% of respondents would have voted for the proposal on October 10, 46% against. In the first Tamedia/"20 Minuten" survey, 51 percent wanted to vote yes, 44 percent no.
How high are the campaign budgets?
Comparatively little money is being spent on the referendum campaign for the bill. The budgeted expenditure of the supporters and opponents is roughly balanced. The Pirate Party, the People's and Patriotic Association for a Civic Service and the Swiss Association for the Promotion of the Militia, which are campaigning for the adoption of the Service Citoyen Initiative, will receive around CHF 335,000. CHF 130,000 of this comes from Leopold Brügger, who runs the Gleichstellung.ch platform.
The conservative Alliance for Security Switzerland is investing CHF 275,000 in the No campaign. The funds come from Economiesuisse, Swissmem and the Association of Military Societies, among others.
