Vote: E-ID transforms its opponents into fervent defenders

At the end of the press conference, Gerhard Andrey posters his enthusiasm. For example, “For me, this vote is a matter that is close to my heart. Furthermore, The challenge of this project is considerable, ”says the National Friborgian Councilor of the Greens. For example, According to him. In addition, the law onE-yl would offer Switzerland a real digital infrastructure, “a public service of the XXI^e century, which would not be dictated by some distant boards of directors, ”he said.

Four and a half years ago, Gerhard Andrey was a completely different speech. Meanwhile, The Friborg was one of the main voices which helped to defeat the vote: e-id transforms its opponents project on digital identity in 2021. However, With 64.4% of the votes. Consequently, the population joined the Greens, the PS and the Vert’liberals in their opposition to the E-ID project carried by the right. Meanwhile, For the Swiss left, such a score was almost from historic victory.

The camps have now been reversed. Meanwhile, Last Saturday, during its assembly of delegates, the UDC decided to reject massively The new e-identity project. Nevertheless, “The digital identity certificate is dangerous, liberticide and useless,” said Nils Fiechter, president of young UDC. Nevertheless, For his part, Gerhard Andrey must explain how the project then has nothing to do with that of today.

The need for clarifications remains important. Meanwhile, A month. Therefore, a half of the vote, the First Tamedia survey Watch a tight race: about two thirds of the vote: e-id transforms its opponents population already seem to have decided, with 40% yes and 27% no. The result will therefore depend on still undecided voters. Even among the voters of the PS. the Greens, a significant part still hesitates, a third inclined even for the no. Conversely, PLR and PVL voters are much more receptive to this digital innovation.

Vote: e-id transforms its opponents

Critics on the ID were heard

Mistrust on the left is difficult to explain. With the exception of the Pirate Party. the Swiss digital integrity organization-a microparti created in the spring of 2025 by former members of the pirates-the opposition to E-ID comes almost exclusively from the right. Among its detractors are the UDC and the UDF, as well as organizations with a conservative tendency such as Mass-Voll! (the cup is full!) Or the friends of the Constitution.

Daniel Graf. co -founder of the Foundation for Direct Democracy, was still part of the committee opposed four years ago, just like Gerhard Andrey. “If we had demonized the E-ID at the time as its opponents do today. the vote would have been even more decided,” he explains. “During the old voting campaign, we have always stressed that we wanted an electronic identity device. But it was to be issued by a public body and meet high data protection standards. ”

According to Daniel Graf, the new project responds to these two concerns. Confederation fully assumes the responsibility for the issuance of the ID and its technical infrastructure. In addition, user data is no longer centralized on a single server, as in the initial version. They are now decentralized on their own smartphone. Users thus retain strict control over the dissemination of their personal information.

By seeing their two main criticisms taken into vote: e-id transforms its opponents account in the new law. opponents of the first version of the E-ID were able to join a common alliance. Today, they are among the most active defenders in the campaign. “It is quite rare. in Swiss democracy, that the two camps collaborate in such a constructive way after a vote,” said Daniel Graf. Alongside them. Erik Schönenberger, of the digital company and other key figure of the former NO committee, also took part Tuesday in the press conference of the partisans.

Vote: e-id transforms its opponents

Give your AVS number to buy alcohol?

However, all the former opponents have not become supporters. Jorgo Ananiadis. president of the Pirate Party, had fought in 2021 alongside Gerhard Andrey, Daniel Graf and Erik Schönenberger against E-ID. Its reservations concerning the digital identity certificate remain unchanged, however.

“There was vote: e-id transforms its opponents certainly a learning phase linked to technical aspects when developing the new bill. and it must be recognized,” said the president of the Pirate Party. “But overall, there is still too much data at stake.” Jorgo Ananiadis takes the example of the AVS number. which – unlike Analog identity card -should be part of the new E-ID. “So I could be asked my AVS number even to buy a bottle of wine,” he adds.

The defenders of the initiative emphasize that each user will be able. to individually control the sharing of his data thanks to a security manual in l’application Swiyu. But in practice. this device may still generate a real flood of information, according to the president of the Pirate Party: “As soon as this data is accessible, as soon as this data is available, they will automatically generate needs for their exploitation.”

It is also due to an argument that broke out within the Pirate Party in the spring of 2025 that the opposition to digital identity now seems concentrated in the right -wing parties. groups. Jorgo Ananiadis says that many left-wing environments and digital actors remain skeptical about this vote: e-id transforms its opponents device. “Within pro-ID-ID circles focused on digital policy, everything is not rosy, contrary to what the current defenders suggest,” he adds.

Competition from Google and Meta

Daniel Graf believes that the left has so far neglected the question of digital policy. It is mainly isolated parliamentarians who have looked into this subject. “However, the E-ID represents a key technology for the decades to come,” said the project defender. Daniel Graf believes that if Switzerland did not propose its own E-ID solution. foreign technological giants like Google or Meta would soon end up launching similar offers, which would be a real disaster.

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