Swiss Referendum - Sunday 7th March - proposed Animal Rights Legislation. What about its potential impact on YOU?

Given the democratic processes within Switzerland I understand that a national referendum on any topic - do you remember the ban on Minarets - can be enacted providing it is supported, initially, by 100,000 voters.

And here's the latest .... read on - http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl…awyer-who-defends-animals. So with 100,000 Swiss voters supporting it it patently isn't something, as some of us within the angling community might wish to portray it as ..... yet another money-spinner for lawyers..

What if it's successful? And what are its potential consequences on other nation states? Or possibly more worryingly what happens if one of our 'representatives' in the European Parliament determines to have the matter debated?

Zitat von Pargo

Dave, relax, CH is not EU member...
effects of the petition cannot reach Brussels.
Relax

:sehrgut:

I guess I was more concerned Jan that a 'YES' vote might have given what could be perceived as giving a figment of legitimacy to the 'madcap' animal rights activists, and of course to Antoine Goetschel, the lawyer, who seems to have developed a 'nice little earner' in Zurich 'representing' anything up to 200 animals (and now fish) a year. (And this is in a country which already has, nationally, some of the strictest rules governing the treatment of pets and farm animals.) With a 'YES' those animal rights activists could then potentially, supported by our so-called representatives within the European Parliment, have pushed for similar legislation within the EU. And remember 'Lisbon' introduced qualified majority voting into a number of legislative areas. Still no need to worry 70.5% of the Swiss who voted nationally REJECTED the proposal. I wonder what the voting proportions in the Zurich canton actually were this time round?

Here's the latest Guardian article on the result - http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl…d-animal-lawyers-rejected.

Perhaps us Brits had it right at the beginning of the 19th Century during the Napoleonic Wars? http://www.thisishartlepool.co…y/thehartlepoolmonkey.asp Whoops! Sorry, a bit Tongue in Cheek that one, and a way to upset people who come from West Hartlepool in the North East.