How many signatures have been submitted for the initiative?

The promoters submitted 112'517 authenticated signatures to the Federal Chancellery on 30 September 2026. The collection was formally declared successful, because a popular initiative requires 100'000 signatures within 18 months of the official publication of the text in the Federal Gazette. The submission took place in Bern.

What does the text propose regarding parental leave?

The proposed constitutional amendment calls for fair and compensated parental leave of 18 weeks for each parent, upon the birth of a child. The weeks should not be transferable. As a general rule, the leave could be taken simultaneously by both parents for no more than a quarter of the total duration.

What are the durations currently specified for mothers and fathers?

The source indicates that mothers who are in gainful employment are entitled to a maternity allowance for 14 weeks. For fathers, the people approved a two-week leave in 2020, which entered into force at the beginning of 2021. The proposal submitted calls for an equal duration of 18 weeks for both parents.

How would the allowance be financed according to the initiative?

The minimum amount and the financing of the allowance should follow the principles applied to allowances for those performing military or civilian service. For lower salaries, the allowance should increase progressively until reaching 100%. The criterion concerns the level of the allowance and its financing in the proposed constitutional amendment.

Parental Leave: 112,517 signatures in support of 18 weeks

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 30 September 2026

Signatures for the parental leave initiative submitted to the Swiss Federal Chancellery

In Bern, 112'517 signatures were submitted calling for 18 weeks of parental leave for both mothers and fathers.

Context

At a Glance

112,517 certified signatures submitted in Bern
18 weeks for each parent under the proposal
Currently: 14 weeks for mothers, 2 for fathers
100,000 signatures are needed within 18 months

Key Facts

Date → September 30, 2026
Location → Federal Chancellery, Bern
Signatures → 112,517 certified
Proposal → 18 weeks for both mothers and fathers
Threshold → 100,000 signatures within 18 months
Mothers today → 14 weeks
Fathers today → 2 weeks starting in 2021

On September 30, 2026, in Bern, the initiative’s sponsors submitted 112,517 certified signatures to the Federal Chancellery for the popular initiative calling for 18 weeks of parental leave for each parent. The signature drive has thus formally succeeded: a popular initiative requires 100,000 signatures within 18 months of the text’s official publication in the Federal Gazette.

The proposed constitutional amendment is titled “A Strong Society and Economy Thanks to Parental Leave” (Family Leave Initiative). The text refers to “equitable and compensated” parental leave upon the birth of a child, with the same duration for mothers and fathers. For details on the measure, consult the guide on congedo parentale; however, keep in mind that this proposal differs from the rules currently in place in Switzerland.

Proposed Support and Rules

The initiative is supported by representatives from the Center Party, the Greens, the PVL, the PS, the PEV, and the PLR, as well as by Alliance F and Travail.Suisse. The text sets out certain criteria regarding duration, usage, and compensation.

According to the proposal, the leave should not be transferable from one parent to the other. In principle, both parents could take it simultaneously for up to one-quarter of the total duration. The minimum amount and the funding of the allowance should follow the principles applied to allowances for those performing military or civilian service. For lower wages, the allowance should increase progressively until it reaches 100%.

The proposal also takes the current situation into account. Working mothers are currently entitled to 14 weeks of maternity benefits. In 2020, voters approved two weeks of paternity leave, which took effect in early 2021. The proposed bill therefore suggests an equal duration of 18 weeks for both parents, whereas the legislation cited in the source provides for different periods.

Operational details

From the Current Situation to the Proposal

For those who work and are about to become parents, the issue is not just about the number of weeks. The bill places the required duration for mothers and fathers on an equal footing, stipulates that parental leave should not be transferable, and, in principle, limits simultaneous use. These are the three key points to consider when comparing the current framework to the proposed bill.

Equality and Organization of Parental Leave

Table 1: Group
Group	Today, according to the source	Proposal
Mothers	14 weeks of maternity benefits	18 weeks
Fathers	2 weeks of leave, effective as of early 2021	18 weeks

The most obvious difference is the equal duration. The text does not simply call for adding a period of leave for fathers: it calls for each parent to have 18 weeks. For mothers, the proposal compares with the 14 weeks of maternity leave currently in effect; for fathers, with the two weeks that took effect in 2021.

The non-transferability shifts the focus from the family’s total duration of leave to the situation of each parent. If the proposal were adopted as described, the weeks allocated to one parent could not be transferred to the other. This rule is accompanied by a restriction on simultaneous use: in principle, the two parents could take leave together for only one-quarter of the total duration. The text, therefore, combines individual equality with only partial shared use.

Benefits and Wages

The second section concerns the economic value of the leave. The initiative links the minimum amount and the funding of the benefit to the principles applied to benefits for those performing military or civil service. For the lowest wages, the amount should increase progressively up to 100%. The reference to 100% does not describe an identical amount for everyone: it indicates the target set for the allowance intended for the lowest wages.

To understand the comparison without confusing duration and financial support, consult the guide on congedo parentale. Meanwhile, the source keeps the current framework distinct from the constitutional amendment requested by the proponents.

Recommended tools

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

Key points

How to Verify the News

The news can be read in a practical step-by-step manner, without confusing the signature drive with the content of the leave policy. This method helps distinguish between what the source describes as the current law and what the proponents are requesting in the constitutional amendment.

1. Start with the current situation. Note the 14 weeks of maternity leave for working mothers and the two weeks for fathers, which were approved in 2020 and took effect in early 2021. 2. Isolate the proposal. List the 18 weeks for each parent on a separate line. This is the duration requested in the text, distinct from the one described as the current situation. 3. Review the structure. Verify that the text refers to non-transferable leave and simultaneous use, generally limited to one-quarter of the total duration. 4. Read the financial section. Look for the two criteria mentioned: the principles governing allowances for military or civilian service—specifically the minimum amount and funding—and a progressive increase up to 100% for the lowest wages. 5. File the petition. The threshold is 100,000 signatures within 18 months of the text’s official publication in the Federal Gazette. The submitted petition consists of 112,517 signatures certified by the Federal Chancellery.

Dates Not to Be Confused

September 30, 2026, marks the date of submission to Bern. The years 2020 and early 2021, however, pertain to the paternity leave currently under discussion. The 18-month period refers to the signature-gathering phase, while the 18-week period refers to the duration of leave requested by each parent. Distinguishing these dates prevents the end of the signature-gathering period from being misinterpreted as the duration of the entitlement.

The financial section should also be read carefully: 100% represents the final stage of the projected increase for the lowest wages, not a value provided by the source for every worker. To compare your income situation with the scenario of an absence from work, use calcolatore stipendio.

Source: tio.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

How many signatures have been submitted for the initiative?: The promoters submitted 112'517 authenticated signatures to the Federal Chancellery on 30 September 2026. The collection was formally declared successful, because a popular initiative requires 100'000 signatures within 18 months of the official publication of the text in the Federal Gazette. The submission took place in Bern.
What does the text propose regarding parental leave?: The proposed constitutional amendment calls for fair and compensated parental leave of 18 weeks for each parent, upon the birth of a child. The weeks should not be transferable. As a general rule, the leave could be taken simultaneously by both parents for no more than a quarter of the total duration.
What are the durations currently specified for mothers and fathers?: The source indicates that mothers who are in gainful employment are entitled to a maternity allowance for 14 weeks. For fathers, the people approved a two-week leave in 2020, which entered into force at the beginning of 2021. The proposal submitted calls for an equal duration of 18 weeks for both parents.
How would the allowance be financed according to the initiative?: The minimum amount and the financing of the allowance should follow the principles applied to allowances for those performing military or civilian service. For lower salaries, the allowance should increase progressively until reaching 100%. The criterion concerns the level of the allowance and its financing in the proposed constitutional amendment.