It took Switzerland 680 years to give women a vote
Switzerland is one of the oldest democracies and famous for its inclusion with frequent referendums. The Swiss confederation was founded by a number of cantons in 1291 with men participating public balloting. But it took a while before the country´s women were allowed to join for the voting. As one of the last countries in Europe, women got voting rights in 1971!
The question of women voting right was up for discussion time after time but with men coming to the conclusion that NO!
Suffragettes started pushing for women voting rights in In the 1880s. The issue was up for voting a number of times, but the men, who had the right to vote, said no. However, on February 7, 1971 the opinion had finally changed and with 66 per cent versus 34, Swiss women got to right to vote.
Some think celebrating the 50 year anniversary feels a bit odd. As Elionore Lepinard, Professor in sociology at Lausanne university, told news agency AFP: “We are doing this kind of memorializing of something that should in many ways be a national shame, because it came so late.”
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