Breaking News English

Voters in Switzerland have overwhelmingly a proposal that would have introducing a guaranteed basic monthly income for all citizens. The referendum place on Sunday and resulted in almost 77 per cent of voters opposing the plan. The idea was to a minimum salary to those who have been a citizen for at least five years, whether they or not. It was suggested the monthly amount could around $2,500. The group behind the proposal that the initiative was necessary to Switzerland's social welfare system. A spokesperson said it would fight poverty and inequality. He added that it would a top-up for people who earned less than the minimum wage.

Supporters of the plan that because work was increasingly automated across Switzerland, there were fewer jobs available for workers. Che Wagner from the campaign group Basic Income Switzerland argued that the monthly income would not money for nothing. He said: "In Switzerland, over 50 per cent of total work that is is unpaid. It's care work. It's at home. It's in different communities, so that work would more valued with a basic income." Opponents said it would the country many immigration problems. Luzi Stamm from the Swiss People's Party : "You would billions of people who would to into Switzerland."