Swiss e-ID to face another referendum

Switzerland will hold a new referendum on the introduction of its national digital identity.

A committee opposing the federal government’s introduction of the e-ID has submitted over  63,000 signatures last week, paving the way for a referendum on the initiative. The vote is expected to take place in September at the earliest.

This is the second time that the country is facing a referendum on introducing a digital identity. A previous proposal, which would have allowed private companies to manage Swiss citizens’ data, was shot down in a 2021 referendum.

The new, government-made digital ID system promises to give users more control over data. The 100 million francs (US$113.3 million) system is set to be introduced in 2026. However, some political parties are not convinced that the project will protect privacy and data.

The signatures for the upcoming referendum were collected by the Committee Against the e-ID, including members of the Swiss Pirate Party alongside the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland. Civic movements Aufrecht Schweiz, Friends of the Constitution and the Referendum e-ID 2.0 association also participated in the initiative, media outlet 20 Minuten reports.

The group argues that the digital identity project could lead to the misuse of sensitive personal data, undermining privacy and endangering democratic freedoms. According to the committee, the state would not have real control over e-ID because the federal police cannot issue the e-ID without going through private parties.

Transparency of the technology and the possibility of digital surveillance were another concern. The e-ID could serve as the basis for a social credit system and make access to services dependent on behavior. It would also be discriminatory, as certain services would only be accessible with an e-ID, the group argues.

Despite its success, the collection of signatures against the e-ID was overshadowed by disagreements among the members of the Committee Against the e-ID, many of which were also involved in the failed Sovereignty Initiative, which sought to ensure the primacy of Swiss national law over international law.

Meanwhile, the federal government is continuing work on the e-ID. Switzerland has begun public testing, allowing citizens to use a beta version of the Swiyu digital wallet app.

Article Topics

digital identity  |  e-ID  |  government services  |  national ID  |  Switzerland  |  SWIYU