Switzerland to test electronic collection of signatures for referendums

The Swiss government is preparing the ground to authorise limited electronic signature collection trials for initiatives and referendums. The Federal Council (executive body) has adopted a report that envisages progressing in stages. The analysis, requested by parliament, outlines the opportunities and risks of electronic signature collection in terms of organisational, technical, legal and institutional plans. The government has instructed the Federal Chancellery to conduct a preliminary project with a view to carrying out limited practical tests of electronic signature collection, according to a press release. + Get the most important news directly in your inbox The current system for collecting signatures, based on paper, has potential for modernisation, says the report, which takes into account the recent cases of falsified signatures for initiatives at the federal level. In the context of the scandal, the Chancellery recently held a round table to ensure greater transparency ...