Swiss Prosecutors Investigate Fake Voter Rolls Scandal

Swiss federal prosecutors are investigating allegations of electoral fraud following the discovery of thousands of fake signatures in voter rolls. The advocacy group "Service Citoyen" (Citizen Service) has filed a criminal complaint, suggesting the fraudulent signatures could have influenced Swiss election results. Co-president Noemie Roten of Service Citoyen identified nearly a third of the 10,000 signatures on voter rolls as fake, including bogus addresses, falsified birth dates, and repeated signatures.

The allegations have raised concerns about Switzerland's direct democracy system, which relies heavily on mail-in balloting and referendums to give citizens a direct say in policymaking. The Swiss attorney-general’s office has initiated an investigation into the matter. The fraudulent signatures are reported to have affected various political initiatives, with calls for a ban on the commercial collection of signatures following the revelation.