(ANSA) - GENEVA, SEPTEMBER 24 - Reform of pensions, with the proposal to raise the retirement age of women to 65 years, animal welfare, with a text that intends to prohibit intensive farming and corporate taxation: these are the three themes on which the Swiss electorate is called to speak at the federal level tomorrow.
The pension reform, a particularly debated topic during the campaign ahead of the votes, envisages on the one hand an increase in value added tax (VAT) to generate additional revenues for the pension system, and on the other hand a modification of the current law to include the increase in the retirement age of women from 64 to 65 years.
The change, approved by parliament, is contested by the left and by the unions who have launched a referendum.
A "yes" to the two questions is required for entry into force.
(VAT and law).
Another rather contested topic in the vote is that of the ban on intensive farming, requested by a group of associations through a popular initiative.
The government opposes the initiative by stating that Switzerland already has one of the strictest animal protection laws in the world.
The initiative wants the protection of the dignity of livestock such as cattle, chickens or pigs to be sanctioned by the Constitution and in case of acceptance, the Confederation would be obliged to establish more stringent minimum requirements in matter, concerning, among other things, access to outdoor spaces, slaughter and the maximum size of animals per barn.
The latest polls indicate that three weeks after the voting, the pension reform was in favor of a majority of 59% (down by 5 points compared to a previous survey), while for the intensive farming initiative 52% of the people who responded to the poll argued against the text.
Finally, the Swiss will express their opinion on a referendum launched against a law amendment that envisages the abolition of the withholding tax on Swiss bonds and the tax on the purchase and sale of securities.
(HANDLE).