Swiss voters have rejected a controversial proposal to give individual communities the authority to award Swiss passports, early results indicated today.
The first eight cantons to publish results have all rejected a proposal by the Swiss People's Party (SVP) that the naturalisation of immigrants be decided by a popular vote in the commune where the immigrant lives.
This procedure was banned five years ago after a number of communities repeatedly blocked passport applications.
The SVP plastered the country with yellow and black hands grabbing at Swiss passports and sent out literature detailing various crimes committed by immigrants who had been granted Swiss citizenship in the run up to the referendum.
The results of the remaining 18 cantons will be released throughout the day.