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国民投票2014年02月09日：
1. 鉄道インフラの資金調達と開発に関する連邦法
2. 国民発議「中絶費用は個人の問題」
3. 国民発議「大量移民の阻止」
明子 ヒューリマン
連邦政府の国民投票 *1) のウェブサイトを見てみると、今回から動画も
掲載されていた。議案毎に担当閣僚が政府・議会の見解を国民に語りかけ
ている。肉声の迫力は侮れないので新戦略に知恵を絞った事が伺える。し
かし、スイスのメディアは継続的に、国民投票に関する情報をあらゆる角
度から報道しているので、このビデオの効果は限定的と思える。スイス国
民がこれまで示してきた反骨精神溢れる民意を見れば明らかだ。各議案の
内容を見てみよう。
1. 鉄道インフラの資金調達と開発に関する連邦法：
通称FABIと称されるこの議案は、紆余曲折を経た後、2025年迄に64億スイ
スフランの税金を投じて鉄道の建設と維持管理を行う国家プロジェクトだ。
鉄道の利用増に応じた構造改革を進める為に、BIFという恒久的な基金を創
設して今後の鉄道事業を賄う事にする憲法改定案だ。この議案には建設業
界・諸政党他様々な組織が連携して賛同している。一方保守党のSVP会派と
自動車関連組合、車の輸入業者等の反対勢力は小規模と報じられている。
反対理由はガソリン税や自動車保有税が基金の原資にされている事。当然
の事ながら、鉄道料金も度々値上げされてはいるのだが、間に合わないよ
うだ。
スイス鉄道は利用者が多く、よく整備もされているという認識が定着して
いる。客車・貨物鉄道の利用増で線路が混みあって来ているので、今対策
を講じなければ新しい時代に即した効率の良い鉄道経営が困難になると言
われている。スイスの人口は確実に増えており、ラッシュアワーの混雑振
りは相当なものになって来た。近年2階建て車輛も増えてはいるものの、
混雑緩和には間に合わないようだ。近隣諸国との鉄道事業の連携にも多く
の課題が伝えられている。
TA紙オンライン版 *2) で、担当のドリス・ロイトハルト交通相は閣僚の
中では最も高い人気を享受しているのに、彼女が就任して以来関連する物
価は値上がりし、国民を少しづつ貧しくしている、と嫌味が書かれていた。
スイス国民が目の敵にするのは非効率な官僚主導の行政だが、こうした大
規模計画に対して一市民が賛否を判断出来るものか心もとない思いはある。
いずれにせよ鉄道インフラの整備はトラック輸送を軽減して環境を保全す
る上からも避けては通れない課題だ。昨年11月に高速道路使用税の値上げ
を国民投票で否決したばかりだが、投票動向調査では今回は賛成多数と報
じられている。
2. 国民発議「中絶費用は個人の問題」：
保守的な宗教グループに依る発議で、僅かの例外を除いて中絶費用を基礎
的健康保健で負担するのを止めるよう求めた議案だ。2002年から母体に危
険がある場合や妊娠12週間以内であれば中絶が刑事免責になり、書類提出
他の義務的要件を満たせば、健康保険が費用を負担するようになった。妊
娠は病気では無く個人的な問題で、中絶するなら補足保険で賄うか、自己
負担すべきという主張だ。医療費を間接的にも直接的にも削減出来ること
になり、中絶を減らす事にも繋がると訴えている。議案を支持する政党は
限定的だが、結果は不透明だ。
一方、政府と主な政党に加えて医師会も反対している。欧州諸国と比べて
スイスの中絶率は低く、相談や予防の周知が効果を上げていると言われて
いる。若し賛成多数で承認されたとしても、削減出来る医療費は800万スイ
スフラン程度で、僅かな額にしかならないと主張。認定医師に寄らない中
絶手術は、健康被害をもたらす危険性があり、医療費増加にも繋がるとも。
いずれにせよ、経済的・社会的に弱い女性にとって厳しい環境になると指
摘。
3. 国民発議「大量移民に反対」：
まるでEU加盟の是非を問う様な激しい論戦が繰り広げられている。保守の
盟主SVP(スイス国民党) *3) は「50年も経たない内にスイスの人口は最悪
1,600万人になり、外国人がスイス人より多くなる」と発議し、大々的な宣
伝活動を展開している。この数字は連邦政府の試算よりも5百万人多いと言
われているが、スイスの人口は2013年9月30日現在で8百万人の大台をつい
に超えて、政府の予測よりはるかに速い速度で増加した。20年後には人口
が1千万人を超して農地は失われ、家賃は値上がりし、交通渋滞が深刻にな
ると警告、スイス国民の利益になる事は何も無いと危機感を露わにしてい
る。他にも、外国人労働者の流入に依ってスイス人の職が奪われ、賃金低
下の圧力を受ける。又移民は平均以上の頻度で福祉を利用するので、社会
事業を圧迫する要因にもなる。打開策は移民の受け入れを以前のカントン
毎の分配制度に戻す事で、官僚的な弊害無しに移民を制御出来るとSVPは主
張する。
発議に反対しているのは政府、経済界、労働組合。現在の労働需給に依る
出入国管理は上手く行っていると主張。大量の移民を阻止する為に、スイ
ス政府は東欧諸国に現地で雇用を創出する為の直接支援を実行している。
こうする以外に限られた国土のスイスにEU諸国からの大量の移民を阻止す
る方法は無い、というのが政府の考え方だ。外交交渉の矢面に立たされる
政治家は、近年際限無く圧力を強めてくるEU諸国との交渉では、スイスに
選択肢は無いのだとまで発言している。実際EUは議案が承認されれば二国
間協定も存在しなくなると、スイス政府に脅しを掛けている。しかし、EU
諸国の中にも既に移民の制限を声高に言い始めている元首達がいるのも事
実だ。
投票日を間近に控えた2月3日、ミシュリン・カルミ＝レ元外相が本を出版
した事をTA紙が大きく報じた。EUに加盟すべきというかねてからの持論を
書いたものだそうだ。国民的人気を得ていたSP（社会民主党）の政治家が
、保守党SVPの発議の承認を阻止する狙いで出版した毒のある著作と同紙
は論評した。いみじくも同じ日の夕方、ラジオのニュースはEU加盟諸国に
依る1,200億ユーロ(16兆円規模)にも上る巨額の汚職を報じた。これはEU
の年間予算に相当する規模だそうだが、思いの外少額だったという見解も
あると報じられている。EU委員会の肥大化した官僚組織の非効率が問われ
ていたので、驚くには当たらないという事のようだ。こうした欧州委員会
の事情は「大量移民阻止」の民意を後押しする追い風になる筈。投票動向
は珍しく終盤で急速に支持を伸ばしており、結果は五分五分と報じられて
いる。
【 参照 】
*1) 2014年02月09日国民投票説明（独語）：
https://www.ch.ch/en/volksabstimmung-0902-2014/
*2) TA紙オンライン版「2014年02月09日 国民投票」：
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/Schweiz/dossier2.html?dossier_id=2535
*3) スイス国民党(SVP): http://www.svp.ch/
【 編集後記 】
人間の作る社会制度は、どんなに高邁な理想を掲げても、人間の性(さが)
故に、時が経てば必ず制度疲労を起こす。規模が大きいほどその弊害も大
きく修正も困難である事を疑う余地は無い。スイスは小国ながら独自の国
家体制を丹念に作り上げて今日を築いてきた。スイスがEUに加盟しなくて
も加盟してもEUとの泥沼状態から抜け出せないのなら、恒久的な危険を避
けるのが賢明な選択と思う所以だ。
□━━━━━━━━━━━━【 English 】━━━━━━━━━━━━━━□
The National Voting on February 09,
2014:
1. Federal decree regulating the
funding and expansion of
railway infrastructure (FABI)
2. Popular initiative "Paying
for an abortion is a private matter"
3. Popular initiative "Stop mass
immigration"
Akiko Huerlimann
If you look at the
website of the national referendum *1) by the
Federal
Government, a video has also been posted this time. Ministers
are speaking about
the opinion of the Government and the Parliaments
to the public
regarding to every bill. It suggests the hammering out
of a new strategy
to force the human voice, which yet cannot be
reckoned. However,
on an opinion basis, since Swiss media report
information about
the referendum from every angle, the effect of
this video seems
to be limited. It's clear, if you look at the will
of the Swiss
people full of rebellious spirit as it has shown up to
now. Let's have a
look at context of each bill.
1. Federal decree
regulating the funding and expansion of railway
infrastructure
(FABI):
This is a national
project referred to and known as FABI about the
construction and
maintenance of the railway by investing 6.4 billion
Swiss Francs of
tax money until the year 2025 after passing through
the twists and
turns. This is a constitutional amendment to be
decided in order
to advance structural reforms in response to the
increased use of
railway, to cover the railway business in the
future by founding
a permanent fund called BIF. The bill has
received support
from various organizations such as the construction
industries,
political parties, and other groups. On the other hand,
it has been
reported that the opposition groups are relatively small
such as the SVP
faction of the conservative party, automobile
unions, and car
importers. Opposite reasons are that the car owner
tax and the
gasoline tax also should contribute to the fund.
Naturally, railway
ticket fares have been increased occasionally,
but it seems not
to be enough.
The recognition of
the Swiss railway is well established by most
users and for its good
maintenance. Railway sections have become
crowded with the
increased use by passengers and by carriage of
freight,
therefore, it's said if the measures are not taken now,
an efficient and
adapted approach to the new era of railway
management will be
difficult. The population of Switzerland has
steadily increased
(due to immigration); crowded rush-hour times
became observable
due to congested trains. Two-story carriages in
operation have
also increased in recent years, but it seems
insufficient to
reduce the congestion. Many challenges have been
also told about
cooperation of railway business with neighboring
countries.
The online version
of TA-paper *2) wrote sarcastic about Mrs. Doris
Leuthard, the Swiss
Minister in charge of transportation; she enjoys
the highest
popularity in the cabinet, however, since taking up her
new office, she is
however associated with price rises, and accused
of making the
people poor little by little. Swiss people identify
the inefficient
administration by bureaucratic leadership as enemy;
I have a dubious
thought whether a citizen can determine pros and
cons about such a
large-scale plan. In any case, the development of
the railway
infrastructure cannot avoid challenges regarding to the
reduction of truck
transport in order to preserve the environment.
"A price
increase of the highway use tax" was just rejected by a
referendum last
November, but according to a trend survey,
reportedly the
bill may receive a majority vote.
2. Popular
initiative "Paying for abortion is a private matter":
The Initiative
launched by a religious conservative group demands
to stop paying
abortion cost by the basic health insurance with few
exceptions. As
from 2002, if it is within 12 weeks of pregnancy or
if there is a risk
to the mother, abortion has gained impunity, and
if it meets the
mandatory requirements such as the filling of
documents, the
basic health insurance pays the cost. It is claimed
that pregnancy is
not a disease but a personal matter; abortion
should be covered
by the supplemental health insurance or should be
self-paid. They
appeal that medical costs can indirectly or directly
be reduced, which
leads to a reduction of the abortion. Political
parties supporting
the bill are limited, however, the result is
uncertain.
On the other hand,
the Medical Association is also opposed in
addition to the
major political parties and the government. It's
said that the
abortion rate in Switzerland is lower than that of
European
countries, and disseminating counseling or prevention have
been effective.
Even if approved by a putting up majority, the claim
is that medical
expenses can be reduced by only 8 million Swiss
Francs or so,
which is just a small amount. There is a risk of
health hazards that
abortion is done by an uncertified physician,
as well as it also
leads to increased health care costs. Anyway,
they point out
that would be a tough environment for women in
economically and
socially vulnerable situations.
3. Popular
initiative "Stop mass immigration":
The intense debate
has been waging as if asking the pros and cons
of EU membership.
SVP (Swiss Volkspartei) *3) as the leader of
the
conservative camp
initiated the bill and creating a big campaign
"Swiss
population will be 16 million within 50 years by a worst-
case scenario, and
foreigners will be more than Swiss". It's said
the figure is 5
million more than the Government's estimation;
however, the
population of Switzerland exceeded 8 million as of
September 30, 2013
at last, that is an increase at a much faster
rate than the
Government's expectation. The initiative expects that
the population
would exceed 10 million in 20 years; farmland is
lost, rent roses,
traffic congestions becomes serious. They reveal
a sense of crisis;
there is nothing that will benefit to the Swiss
people.
Furthermore, in the influx of foreign workers, jobs of Swiss
are deprived and
receive the pressure of wage reduction. Besides,
foreign immigrants
use welfare at a frequency of above-average that
is also a factor
of putting pressure on social services. The
breakthrough is a
return to the previous immigration system based on
an allocation by
each canton; that solution can control immigration
without
bureaucratic adverse effect, said SVP.
The Government, the
business community, and labor unions are
opposed to the
initiative. They say that the present foreign
immigration
control through the labor supply and demand is working
well. In order to
stop mass immigration, the Swiss Government has
done direct support
to Eastern European countries for creating
employment there.
Otherwise, the Swiss Government thinks that there
is no way to
prevent a flood of foreign immigrants from the EU
countries to
Switzerland with its limited land. Politicians, which
bear the brunt of
diplomatic negotiations even said that
Switzerland has no
alternative as to negotiate with the EU; the EU
has endlessly
strengthened the pressure on Switzerland in recent
years. Actually,
the EU has threatened the Swiss Government, in
case the bill would
be accepted, bilateral agreements also couldn't
be continued
further. However, as a matter of fact, some Heads of
State among the EU
have already expressed loudly for a restriction
of foreign
immigration in their own countries.
On February 3,
2014 before the up-coming polling day, ex-Foreign
Minister, Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey
released a book that was reported
as big news by Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. It writes about her mantra
for some time that
Switzerland should become a member of the EU.
However, the
commentary on the newspaper was that the SP (Social
Democratic Party)
politician gained national popularity, releasing a
poisonous book in
the aim to prevent the approval of the initiative
by the conservative
SVP. In the evening on the same day by chance,
radio news
reported about a huge amount of corruption with 12
billion Euros by
EU member states. It's said that the scale
corresponds to the
annual budget of the EU, but it's been reported
that there is even
a view that it was an unexpectedly small figure.
The inefficiency
of the bloated bureaucracy in the European
Commission was
called in question, that's why it is considered to be
not surprising.
These circumstances of the European Commission might
become a tailwind
to boost the public opinion of "Stop mass
immigration".
It's reported that the voting trend has unusually
extended the
support rapidly in a final phase, and the result would
be half and half.
【 Reference 】
*1) Federal vote
on 9.2.2014:
https://www.ch.ch/en/volksabstimmung-0902-2014/
*2) Tages-Anzeiger online <Abstimmung am 9. Februar 2014>：
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/Schweiz/dossier2.html?dossier_id=2535
*3) Swiss Volkspartei (SVP): http://www.svp.ch/
【 Editor’s comment 】
The Social System
made by humans, even set a lofty ideal, no matter
how, it causes
systematic fatigue over the years; that's human
nature. There is
no doubt that its adverse effect is big at a large
scale and the
modification may be difficult. Even as small country,
Switzerland has
built up carefully their unique state system up to
now. If
Switzerland cannot get out from the muddy situation, no
matter whether
joining or not joining to the EU, I think the right
choice is to keep
a proper distance from a permanent danger.
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