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Sign at the border between Germany and Switzerland in Loerrach, Baden-Wuerttemberg
Photo: Patrick Seeger / dpa
The Swiss made several groundbreaking decisions in a referendum on five initiatives.
The Federal Statistical Office published the final results in the afternoon.
Accordingly, a clear majority of 61.7 percent rejected an attempt by the right-wing populist party SVP to terminate the free movement of persons with the European Union (EU).
This would have limited the influx of EU foreigners.
It would have been a Schwexit scenario, a word that is based on Brexit, which describes the British exit from the EU.
The SVP had argued that too many people reduced prosperity and were too expensive for social welfare.
Since 1990, the population of Switzerland has increased by around a quarter to 8.6 million.
The initiative to introduce two-week paternity leave was clearly accepted with a majority of 60.3 percent.
Fathers should receive 80 percent of their wages during this time.
Shooting wolves is not made easier
A new hunting law aimed at making it easier to shoot wolves was rejected by 51.9 percent.
They were once exterminated in Switzerland, but it is estimated that 80 to 100 animals are living in the country again today.
The government's request to buy new fighter jets for up to six billion francs (around 5.5 billion euros) was only just accepted.
The decisive factor was less than 9,000 votes.
Around 5.4 million Swiss are entitled to vote.
While the turnout for referendums is usually less than 50 percent, this time it was around 58 percent.
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sms / dpa
