Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Pro-billboard campaigners fail to collect enough valid signatures

Street advert in Zurich
A digital advertising screen in Zurich © Keystone / Christian Beutler

Organisers of a referendum against a law banning advertising billboards in Vernier, a municipality in Geneva, have failed to collect enough valid signatures. Street advertising therefore remains illegal there.

In October the co-chairman of the referendum committee said 2,300 signatures had been collected. A total of 1,921 valid signatures were required. But on Wednesday the Geneva cantonal government said only 1,633 of the 2,300 were valid.

In September the local administrative council decided to ban billboards and other forms of street advertising, arguing that this improved the quality of the landscape.

However, the referendum committee, made up of parties on the political right, believed it was a serious infringement of the freedom of trade. The banning of billboards in Vernier would seriously harm many local businesses by creating a situation of unfair competition, it claimed.

More

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Gestational diabetes increases the risk of adult-onset diabetes

More

Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes

This content was published on A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.

Read more: Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
The Graubünden village of Brienz has to be evacuated by midday on Sunday

More

Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday

This content was published on The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.

Read more: Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
Former judge in Chur found guilty of rape

More

Former Swiss judge found guilty of rape

This content was published on A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.

Read more: Former Swiss judge found guilty of rape

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR