A lesson for the Federal administration

Switzerland will decide, as a Premiere in its history, probably a second Time on the same vote template. The CVP receives on the orders of the Federal court, a new Chance to convince the people of their Initiative against the so-called marriage penalty. In the first vote three years ago, the principle of Transparency had been violated in a serious way, there was a majority of the judges this Wednesday morning. They annulled the elections in February 2016, which had ended with an extremely tight no-majority of 50.8 percent. It is a judgment, you may also welcome as an opponent of the CVP Initiative.

The Federal government had, in fact, the number of married couples that suffer because their civil status, tax disadvantages ("marriage penalty"), to the fabulous factor of 5.7 used in addition. Of 80’000 affected pairs, the speech was in the voting booklet of the Federal Council. After the ballot, the tax office corrected the information on 454’000. The two-earner couples with children were forgotten in the original calculations.

"The Federal administration has now get those lesson missed, which would have her due at the corporate tax reform II."

of Course the number 80’000 in the vote fight was not the most important of all the arguments. But it was led quite into the field as proof that the CVP clientele engaged in politics for a minority. The tax administration is calculated in a NZZ article, for example, that there is, in addition to the 80’000 370’disadvantaged, 000 pairs, which benefited thanks to the marriage tax.

It would have been to the detriment of the democracy, had accepted the judges in Lausanne, incorrect information of such magnitude simply with a shrug. The Federal administration has now get those lesson missed, which would have her due at the corporate tax reform II. There was documentation in the Vote with Figures in surgery, which, in retrospect, as a blatant wrong. At that time, the Federal court shrank back even earlier, to cancel the vote. The administration has signaled that their "creativity" in the design of the argument, arias, in fact, hardly any limits. This fatal Embassy has corrected the Federal court now.

Again through all the instances?

The Federal Council will now have to clarify some interesting questions. He can vote again? Or he rejected the Initiative once again by the entire political machinery? The main objections to the CVP-desire to remain under the new sign to be valid. The Initiative would make it impossible for Gay marriage and a conservative role model of fiscal cement. The damage to the state Treasury might be given the number of affected couples may be more serious than originally estimated.

Thus seen, it is to be hoped that not only the people but Parliament is given a second Chance for an intelligent counter-proposal. It's a beautiful life is a sign for a democracy, if you can also be 170 years after its founding, still perfect. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 10.04.2019, 15:10 PM