Article: New year, new referenda: Swiss voters once again marched up to the ballot box on February 8, kicking off the first of four referenda in 2004. Despite the recent changes in the country's political landscape, the citizenry reaffirmed that they have the last word.(Politics)

Indeed, the Swiss people decided to go against the will of the Parliament and Federal Council, us well us the political parties to some extent, on all three proposals that were presented by the government.

The issues on the table this time round were:

* The popular initiative dubbed "life-long custody for untreatable, extremely dangerous violent criminals and sex offenders"

* The government's counterproposal to the so-called 'Avanti initiative' and call for safer and more efficient autobahns;

* Change in the federal law governing rents.

But voters gave thumbs up only to the popular initiative.

The Outcomes

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