Swiss voters have given a narrow approval to a plan that will introduce electronic identity cards across the country. The final vote count showed 50.4% in favour, with 49.6% against the proposal. This result was tighter than anticipated, as earlier polls had suggested stronger support, with up to 60% favouring the digital IDs. The Swiss government and both houses of parliament had also backed the initiative.
This marks the second time the Swiss public has voted on digital identity cards. A previous proposal was rejected in 2021 due to concerns about data privacy, specifically the potential for data to be held centrally and managed by private entities. The revised proposal addresses these concerns by keeping the system under government control, with data stored exclusively on users’ smartphones. Importantly, the use of these digital IDs will be optional, and citizens can continue to use their traditional national identity cards if they prefer.