Swiss campaigners launch new basic income plan

A photo taken during the previous basic income campaign in Basel in June 2016. © Keystone / Alexandra Wey

Five years after voters roundly rejected the idea, campaigners have again launched a people’s initiative aimed at introducing an unconditional basic income for all in Switzerland. This time they say they have clarified how it will be financed.

The aim of the new initiative, “Live with dignity – for an unconditional basic income that is easy to finance”, is to secure a livelihood for everyone, to guarantee the right to a life in dignity and self-determination and to value unpaid work, said the campaigners at the launch on Tuesday.

Under the scheme a basic monthly income of about CHF2,500 (CHF2,700) would be guaranteed to all Swiss residents. To achieve this, the activists want to modify Article 110 of the Swiss Constitution and to create a law to regulate the monthly payment and its funding.

The people behind the initiative say the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting financial burden on residents had a huge influence on their decision to return to the idea.

“In the times of coronavirus and climate crisis, a responsible approach to people and nature is essential. We need an economy for the people and not for people to be there for the economy,” said Oswald Sigg of the initiative committee.

How to fund it

In 2016, 76.9% of Swiss voters rejected a proposal to introduce an unconditional basic income. After the vote, analysts said campaigners had managed to launch a broad debate about an unconditional basic income but had failed to present a convincing funding scheme for their proposal.

For their second attempt the committee intends to be more explicit about how their scheme will be financed. Money will essentially come from existing tax revenues and social welfare schemes. The financial sector, tech companies and large multinationals like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon should contribute, the campaigners say.

For the initial attempt campaigners did not set a specific amount for a basic income, but they mentioned a monthly figure of CHF2,500 per adult and CHF625 for minors. This would have cost an estimated CHF208 billion a year.