EU Referenda: What to Learn from the Swiss Case

The recent Brexit vote has reinforced scholarly interest in the role of European Union (EU) referenda for European integration. This research note argues that Swiss experience with EU-related direct democratic votes represents a critical case for the study of EU referenda in the present era. The rich body of related research provides a useful starting point for exploring some of the most pressing questions in research on EU referenda. Therefore, this research note discusses three ways in which insights from Switzerland can contribute to this research. First, it helps us understand the circumstances under which popular votes effectively serve political and / or legitimizing purposes. Second, we derive insights on the role of campaigning, the multidimensionality and lacking predictability of the outcomes of popular votes, and propose methodological improvements. Third, we discuss the implications of popular votes for the legitimacy of EU integration as well as their mindful implementation.