Zurich: Swiss voters have overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to provide the entire population with a basic income,even to non-working individuals.
National projections showed 78 per cent of voters had opposed the initiative,with only 22% backing it,according to numbers provided by the gfs.bern polling institute to public broadcaster RTS an hour after polls closed at noon (1000 GMT).
Supporters had said introducing a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs ($2,563) per adult and 625 francs per child under 18 no matter how much they work would promote human dignity and public service.
Advocates of the universal basic income argued that as much as 50 per cent of the work done in Switzerland – and, indeed, globally – is unpaid, such as care work, child-rearing and community projects, despite being absolutely vital for society.
Opponents, including the government, said it would cost too much and weaken the economy.
The supporters had also argued that since work was increasingly automated, fewer jobs were available for workers.
Conservative Switzerland is the first country to hold a national referendum on an unconditional basic income, but others including Finland are examining similar plans as societies ponder a world where robots replace humans in the workforce.
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