A broad national consultation to rethink mandatory service in Switzerland

On 30 November 2025, Swiss citizens aged 18 and over will vote on the federal popular initiative “For a Committed Switzerland (the civic service initiative)”. This initiative seeks to transform the current military service system — which applies only to young men — into a “citizen service” for the benefit of the community and the environment, which would be extended to women.

In anticipation of this national vote, the association “ET PK PAS?” launched a large-scale online consultation to gather citizens’ views — particularly those of 18–35 year olds — on the future of mandatory service in Switzerland, through one central open question:

👉 How can compulsory service in Switzerland be rethought for everyone (army, environmental protection, support for seniors, civil protection…) ?

Hosted on Make.org, this participatory initiative — carried out in partnership with the Institute for Citizenship Studies at the University of Geneva and Discuss it, and supported by the Mercator Switzerland Foundation and the Leenaards Foundation — serves as a pilot project for a new form of citizen participation, deployed through a digital platform designed to directly engage younger audiences.

From 6 October to 30 November 2025, Swiss citizens are invited to:

• Share their opinions on the proposals already online
• Submit their own ideas

→ Take part in the consultation at ch2025.make.org

The aim of this initiative is to gather the perspectives and expectations of Swiss citizens — particularly young people — on the various possible forms of civic engagement (military, civil protection, social, environmental, support for the elderly, biodiversity, etc.), regardless of the outcome of the vote.

If the vote is in favour of this change on 30 November, the consultation results and the priorities expressed by Swiss citizens will help policymakers understand what people envision or hope for in such a service — valuable input to guide implementation in the right direction. If the initiative is rejected, the consultation will still provide insight into the voices of thousands of Swiss citizens who have proposed new ideas for rethinking mandatory service.

The results will be presented at a press conference in Bern on 18 December 2025, offering a unique perspective on the expectations and proposals of Switzerland’s younger generation regarding the future of mandatory service.

→ About the initiative