Parental Leave: 112,517 Signatures Submitted in Bern

Context

In brief

• Over 110,000 signatures for 18 weeks of parental leave
• 112,517 authenticated signatures delivered to Bern
• The proposal provides for the same duration for both mothers and fathers
• 100,000 signatures required within 18 months

Key facts

• Proposal → «Strong society and economy thanks to parental leave»
• Demand → «fair and compensated» leave at birth
• Signatures → 112,517 authenticated signatures
• Threshold → 100,000 signatures within 18 months
• Location → Federal Chancellery in Bern
• Supporters → The Centre, The Greens, GLP, SP, EVP, FDP, Alliance F and Travail.Suisse
• Current situation → 14 weeks for mothers, 2 for fathers

The collection of signatures for an 18-week parental leave, equal for mothers and fathers, has formally succeeded. Today, the promoters deposited 112,517 authenticated signatures at the Federal Chancellery in Bern.

The popular initiative is titled «Strong society and economy thanks to parental leave (Initiative for family leave)». It is supported by representatives from The Centre, The Greens, GLP, SP, EVP, and FDP, as well as Alliance F and Travail.Suisse.

The alliance spoke of strong support from the population. To succeed, a popular initiative requires 100,000 signatures within 18 months of the official publication of the text in the Federal Gazette.

The constitutional demand

The proposed amendment concerns the Constitution. The text calls for a «fair and compensated» parental leave at the birth of a child and aims to promote de facto equality between the sexes, allowing both parents to pursue gainful employment.

Mothers and fathers should therefore benefit from an identical duration. The promoters also request that the leave be non-transferable and that, in principle, it may be taken alternately for a maximum of one-quarter of the total duration.

Regarding compensation, the text refers to the principles applicable to those performing military or civil service. The minimum amount and financing should be defined on that basis, while the benefit should increase progressively up to 100% for lower wages.

The reference point begins with the current situation described in the source: mothers in gainful employment are entitled to 14 weeks of compensation. In 2020, the people approved two weeks for fathers, which were introduced at the beginning of 2021.

The promoters thus reiterate an issue that has been debated in Switzerland for years: the need to introduce paid leave for both parents. In their view, Switzerland remains among the developed countries with the worst conditions for parental leave in international comparison. Today's filing thus brings together a request regarding duration, a rule on time-sharing, and a criterion for financial support.

Operational details

What the Proposed Model Would Entail

The relevant comparison for a family is between the durations currently specified by the source and those required by the initiative. It is not simply a matter of adding weeks: the text links the duration to equality between parents and also establishes how the period should be used.

The time would not be freely transferable

The non-transferability clause must be read in conjunction with the total duration: the text does not describe leave that is freely transferable between parents. Alternating leave is permitted, but in principle not exceeding one-quarter of the total duration. For those planning the period after birth, decisions would therefore concern both the individual duration and the timing of the alternation.

The allowance also follows a specific criterion. The minimum amount and funding should be based on the principles governing the allowance for military or civil service. Furthermore, the benefit should increase progressively until it reaches 100% for the lowest wages. The wage component would therefore become a variable to be considered alongside the rules on duration. To understand the structure of compensation, one can consult the guide to busta paga svizzera, without confusing it with a calculation of the allowance provided for by the initiative.

The promoters cite international comparisons as the rationale for the proposal. The source states that Switzerland ranks among the developed countries with the worst conditions, but it does not provide a ranking nor does it name other countries. The practical analysis must therefore focus on the explicit differences between the current system and the proposed model.

For families, the key difference is the equal duration of leave granted to mothers and fathers. For working individuals, however, other factors also matter, such as the non-transferability of the leave, the limit on alternating leave, and the progressive nature of the allowance. These are distinct elements: the duration does not replace the rules governing how the leave is taken, and those rules do not, on their own, determine the financial amount.

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

How to Read the Dossier Without Confusing the Proposal with the Current Situation

The source allows for a practical review in just a few steps. Above all, it helps distinguish between what the proponents are requesting and what is described as already in effect, without attributing a broader meaning to the submission of signatures than is indicated.

Five steps for those following the initiative

1. Identify the text. The full name is “A Strong Society and Economy Thanks to Parental Leave (Family Leave Initiative).” The key point to note is that it proposes a constitutional amendment to provide leave upon the birth of a child.

2. Check the duration and who is eligible. The proposal calls for 18 weeks, with the same duration for both mothers and fathers. This provision should be distinguished from the current durations indicated by the source.

3. Verify the rules for taking leave. The leave should be non-transferable and, in principle, shared between parents for no more than one-quarter of the total duration. These two conditions should be considered alongside the duration.

4. Examine the allowance separately. The text links the minimum amount and funding to the principles applicable to military or civilian service and provides for a gradual increase up to 100% for the lowest wages. It is not appropriate to interpret this description as a uniform amount for everyone.

5. Place the submission within the context of the procedure. The proponents submitted 112,517 certified signatures to the Federal Chancellery in Bern; the source specifies a threshold of 100,000 signatures within 18 months of publication in the Federal Gazette and formally deems the signature drive successful. The deadline mentioned therefore pertains to the signature collection.

For a family planning the birth of a child, this framework prevents automatically adding up the current durations or assuming the requested model is already in place. For working individuals, it helps keep three elements separate: duration, the possibility of alternating work and leave, and the allowance criteria. This distinction makes it easier to compare the current situation with the proposed legislation.

To learn more about the issue and navigate between the proposal and current regulations, consult the guide to congedo parentale.

For a precise net salary calculation, use our tax comparator: compare take-home pay between G and B permits with all 2026 deductions.

Source: swissinfo.ch