Editing Popular initiative (section)

==== Switzerland ====
{{Main|Popular initiative (Switzerland)}}
The [[federal popular initiative]] was included in the [[Swiss Federal Constitution]] in 1891, permitting a certain number of citizens (currently 100,000 signatures within 18 months<ref>[http://www.bk.admin.ch/themen/pore/vi/index.html?lang=de ''Eidgenössische Volksinitiative''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820222945/http://www.bk.admin.ch/themen/pore/vi/index.html?lang=de |date=2013-08-20 }}, website of "The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation" (German, possible to switch to French or Italien language). Retrieved 2013-09-04.</ref>) to make a request to amend a constitutional article, or even to introduce a new article into the constitution. The right of initiative is also used at the cantonal and communal level in Switzerland (all [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]]s, all [[Communes of Switzerland|commune]]s where the [[direct democracy|direct democratic]] citizens' participation originates); many cantons allow initiatives to enact regular non-constitutional law, but the federal system does not.

If the necessary number of supporters is reached, the initiative will be put to a [[plebiscite]] about two or three years later; the delay helps prevent short-term political moods from getting into the constitution. The parliament and government will both issue their official opinions on whether they recommend voting for or against the proposed amendment, and these opinions will be published.

The parliament may also pass an alternative amendment suggestion which will also be included on the ballot; in this case, the voters cast two votes, one for whether or not they want an amendment, and one for which one they want, the original one from the initiative or the one introduced in parliament, in case a majority decides for amending.

A citizen-proposed change to the constitution in Switzerland at the national level needs to achieve both a majority of the national popular vote and a majority of the canton-wide vote to pass. The vast majority of national initiatives introduced since 1891, when the system started, have failed to receive voter support. But the initiatives have proven to be a useful tool to force the government to concentrate on subjects that will otherwise remain hidden from the politic, lowering the distance between the government and the citizens.