Bürgerbegehren beantragen

Do you want to decide on matters in your municipality, association municipality or district yourself? Then read here what options you have.

With a citizens' petition, you as a citizen can request that you yourself decide on a matter relating to the municipality, association of municipalities or district. Citizens' petitions may only deal with matters within the municipality's, association municipality's or district's own sphere of influence that lie within the decision-making competence of the municipal council, association municipality council or district council. It should be noted that a referendum on this topic must not have taken place within the last 2 years. A referendum is not permitted for certain matters, such as the budget and urban land-use planning.

• Citizens' petition (= application to hold a referendum) with
  • stating the question of the intended referendum,
  • justification
  • Cost estimate of the municipality and, if applicable, own cost estimate
  • Signature lists with first name and surname, date of birth, in the case of several residences, the address of the signatory's main residence and the date of signature, handwritten and clearly legible
  • Each signature list with the wording of the petition and justification with cost estimate

Your petition must be in the form of a question to be answered with a yes or no and contain a justification with a cost estimate. You should also name up to 3 people who are authorized to represent the petition and the signatories. A citizens' petition must be signed by at least 10% of the citizens entitled to vote; the maximum number of signatures required depends on the number of inhabitants of the municipalities, association municipalities or administrative districts.

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You must submit the petition in writing with the required signatures. If the petition is admissible, the referendum will follow within 3 months. The referendum does not take place if the municipal council, association council or district council decides to implement the measure requested by the petition.

The municipal council, association council or district council shall decide on the admissibility of the citizens' petition without delay, at the latest within 6 weeks of receipt of all documents required for the admissibility of the citizens' petition. If the petition is admissible, the referendum will take place within 3 months.

The citizens' petition must be submitted to the municipality in writing within six months. The deadline begins one month after the local authority announces the cost estimate to the representatives.

If the citizens' petition is directed against a resolution of the representative body, it must be submitted within two months of the customary announcement of the resolution.

If the citizens' petition is admissible, the referendum follows: The referendum involves a yes or no vote on the question to be decided. The question posed is decided in the sense that the majority of valid votes, but at least 20% of those eligible to vote, have answered the question in the affirmative. In the event of a tie, the question is deemed to have been answered in the negative.

Another way of asserting interests at municipal level:

A citizens' initiative is a community founded on the basis of a specific cause. It is not bound to any particular legal form. The aim of a citizens' initiative is to influence public opinion, state institutions, parties or other groups.

A residents' petition enables residents of a municipality, association municipality or district who have reached the age of 14 to have certain matters dealt with by the municipal council, association municipality council or district council. Residents' motions may only deal with matters within the municipality's, association municipality's or district's own sphere of influence.

• Citizens' petitions are an opportunity for citizens to actively participate in decisions made by the municipality, association of municipalities or administrative district
• Only permitted for matters within the municipality's, association municipality's or district's own sphere of influence
• Citizens' petition contains:
  • Question that can be answered with yes or no
  • Justification
  • Cost estimate
  • Nomination of up to three persons who are authorized to represent the petition and the signatories
  • Collection of signatures, which must be signed by at least 10% of the citizens entitled to vote, but by no more than a number of people depending on the population of the municipality, association municipality or district
• Responsible: local municipal or city administration, local association of municipalities administration, local district administration

Local municipal or city administration, local association of municipalities, local district administration