"Our constitution only gives protection to the family and marriage between two heterosexual people. All other lifestyles, including a homosexual way of life, is guaranteed through personal responsibility and must not be regulated by the state," Federal Democratic Union parliamentarian Christian Waber told swissinfo. But Waber also maintains that the legislation is a "cultural break" with Christian values and threatens the institution of marriage. For him, marriage is the basis of the state because it assures the next generation. 'The only difference between marriage and same-sex partnerships is adoption and fertility treatment... But in a few years even this could be changed because it will be [considered] discrimination against [homosexuals'] way of life,' he said. The committee has so far garnered only outright support from one major political party, Blocher’s rightwing Swiss People’s Party."

Christian Verdon, spokesperson for the "yes" campaign said:

"Now gay couples are discriminated against because they cannot secure their relationship in regard to inheritance or visiting rights in hospitals. .. 'This law will bring new rights, but also new duties to the couple such as the obligation to support the partner when he or she needs money or to take care of them'."

2005-MAY-25: A survey revealed that 67% of the public support the law. 7

2005-JUN-05: Swiss voters approved a referendum on the proposed  Eingetragene Partnerschaft (registered partnership) law introduced by the Swiss government. Fifty-six percent of the registered voters took part. 8 Fifty-eight percent of those voting supported extending some rights that had been restricted to opposite-sex married couples to registered same-sex couples. The drop from 67% in the polls to 58% in the referendum was expected, because those strongly opposed to the law would have been more motivated to turn out and vote than the average Swiss voter. Registered same-sex couples are recognized as having a "life partnership with mutual rights and obligations." They obtain most of the rights and privileges of opposite-sex married couples in terms of next of kin status, taxation, insurance, health care, inheritance, social security, pensions, and shared possession of a home or apartment. Partnerships can only be dissolved by a court. However, they will not be able to marry, adopt children, or undergo fertility treatment. 9 Christian Verdon said that the result":

"... shows that we are a pluralistic society that defends its minorities. Homosexuals have earned their place in society today. ... It will give gay couples far more visibility. People only fear what they don’t know. ... It would be a mistake to demand [adoption rights] now. We still have plenty of work to do at the national level to explain to people what being gay and registered partnerships mean."

Nicole Béguin, co-president of Switzerland's lesbian organizations, said the result indicated that the Swiss accepted homosexuals. She said:

"Ten years ago, such a proposal would never have been approved."

Christian Waber of the Federal Democratic Union said:

"We are surprised by the result which is better than we expected since we managed to get over 40 per cent of the vote. ... Children especially will no longer understand what heterosexuality represents. ... We will see society become more 'homosexual'." ₁₀

Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples listed additional rights and privileges enjoyed by every married couple in Switzerland but denied same-sex couples:

Naturalization (which is made easier with legal marriage); Adoption of children; Fertility treatments ; Taking the same last name; Foreign same-sex marriages are recognized only as registered partnerships. 5

Same-sex couples' legal surnames remain unchanged in the government's birth, marriage and death registers. However, they can take a joint surname for informal day-to-day activities.

A foreign registered partner of a Swiss citizen are entitled to a residence permit from Swiss immigration authorities. However, they do not have an automatic right to a Swiss passport or expedited naturalization.

Same-sex marriages solemnized in other countries are recognized only as registered partnerships in Switzerland.

This is believed to be the first instance where a country has given voters the final vote on whether to grant partnership rights to same-sex couples. ₁₀

	2007-JAN-01: The registered partnership law took effect. 11 It is expected to supersede the PcCS laws and Zurich's registered partnership law.
	2007-AUG-20: There appears to be no activity yet to promote adoption and fertility treatment rights for same-sex couples.
	2016-FEB-29: Swiss voters very narrowly rejected a referendum titled "For the couple and the family." It was initiated and promoted by the Christian Democratic People's Party as a ban of discrimination in the form of extra taxes against opposite-sex married couples. However, it would also have modified the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The vote was 50.8% to 49.2%. Joyce Hamilton of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board said: "This initiative was anti-LGBTI sentiment masquerading as tax reform. ... The Swiss public saw through the proposal and said they didn’t want to be part of it." The campaign by LGBT activists: " ... helped voters to understand the issues at stake, illustrated that it wasn’t all about taxes, and warned people of the inequality they could be voting for unintentionally." 12 (ILGA-Europe is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It represents Europe and Central Asia in the International advocacy group" Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.) 13

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. "Country: Switzerland," The International Lesbian and Gay Association, at: http://www.ilga.info/
2. "Registered Partnerships & Same-Sex Marriage in Switzerland," AngloINFO Geneva, at: http://geneva.angloinfo.com/
3. "Swiss State Recognizes Gay Partners as Legal Unions," The Gay Financial Network, 2002-SEP-24, at: http://www.gfn.com/news/
4. "Zurich voters approve gay marriage rights," Gay.com Network, 2002-SEP-23, at:
    http://www.gay.com/news/article.html
5. "Demian," Registered Partnership: The Swiss Approach," Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples, at: http://www.buddybuddy.com/
6. "Geneva Dispatch #2: Switzerland Approves Same-Sex Partnerships," Opinio Juris, 2005-JUL-28, at: http://lawofnations.blogspot.com/
7. "Voters to decide on gay partnerships," SwissInfo, 2005-MAY-19, at: http://www.swissinfo.org/
8. "Election Guide," 2005-JUN-05, at: http://www.electionguide.org/
9. "Swiss vote for same-sex rights," Associated Press, 2005-JUN-05, at: http://www.cnn.com/
10. "Gay couples win partnership rights," Swiss Info, 2005-JUN-05, at: http://www.swissinfo.org/
11. "Registered Partnerships," Federal Department of Justice and Police, 2006-JUN-28, at: http://www.ejpd.admin.ch/
12. Bobby Rae, "Swiss voters reject same-sex marriage ban," Pink News, 2016-FEB-29, at: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/
13. ILGA-Europe's home page is at: https://www.ilga-europe.org/