Swiss voters set to back COVID-19 law, crackdown on pesticides: poll
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[May 07, 2021]
ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss voters are
set to back government measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic and
to support a crackdown on pesticide use -- in defiance of Bern's wishes
-- in binding referendums next month, a poll for broadcaster SRF showed
on Friday.
Parliament passed the COVID-19 act in September, but critics of the
steps to restrict public life and provide financial support to the
economy forced a vote on them under the Swiss system of direct
democracy.
The SRF poll showed two-thirds of voters backed the measures, 27%
opposed them and 6% were undecided or had no opinion.
Bern faces a tougher test in other matters up for binding votes on June
13.
A campaign to ban subsidies for farmers who use pesticides or routinely
administer antibiotics to animals won 54% support in the poll, despite
the government's appeal to reject the plan that it says could cut farm
output and fuel food imports.
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A Swiss flag is pictured on the Mont-Blanc bridge, amid the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Geneva, Switzerland,
March 8, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
A separate campaign to ban artificial pesticides and
outlaw the import of foodstuffs that use them was winning 55%
support, according to the poll. The government opposes the idea.
A law giving police more power to take preventative measures in
cases of suspected extremist threats looks set to win backing from
two out of three voters, while three of out five voters support
legislation to curb carbon dioxide emissions.
The poll of nearly 23,000 eligible voters conducted by gfs.bern had
a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.
(Reporting by Michael Shields, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
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