What two referendums say about a divided Switzerland

These percentages show that Swiss society is divided, crossed by separatist and xenophobic temptations that have been growing over the years.

No to closing the borders and terminating the agreements with the European Union; yes to tightening the restrictions on conscientious objection to military service. In Switzerland, the response from citizens called to the polls on Sunday, June 14, for a national double referendum (in addition to other questions concerning individual cantons) appears to follow dissimilar, if not divergent, political and cultural trends.

Following the cantons’ lead, the population rejected the initiative by the populist right-wing SVP (Schweizerische Volkspartei in the German-speaking cantons) which was intended to place a cap on the inhabitants of the Swiss nation. It........

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