Table 1-3
Outcomes of Swiss referendums by type, 1848-1992
Type of referendumTotal NumberSuccessful (Yes Vote) Failing (No Vote)Percentage Successful
1. Constitutional Amendment Proposed by Federal Assembly
           Total Revision (1872 and 1874) 2 1 1 50.0%
          Partial Revision a 136 97 39 71.9%
2. Constitutional Initiative
          Total Revision (1880 and 1935) 2 0 2 0.0%
          Partial Revision 104 10 94 9.6%
3. Parliamentary Counterproposal 27 17 10 63.0%
4. Facultative (Optional) Referendum on Laws and Decrees 112 53 59 47.3%
5. Optional Treaty Referendum 4 2 2 50.0%
6. Urgent Decrees Deviating from the Constitution 11 11 0 100.0%
Referendums on all Government-Initiated Measures (total of 1,4,5, and 6) b 265 164 101 61.9%
a The votes concerning entry into the League of Nations (1920), the free trade agreement with the EC (1972), and membership in the United Nations (1986) are all counted as constitutional amendments.

b Parliamentary counterproposals were not included in this category because they are usually reactions to ideas presented from outside, rather than projects originating in the government.

Note: the data in Table 1-3 is presented again, for reader convenience, in Table 3-5.