ambition. Specialist in federal politics. [5], The average turnout for referendums was at 49.2% in 2011. (the so-called "subsidiary question" introduced in 1987) National COVID-19 vaccination info-line (every day from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.): +41 58 377 88 92. They’ve also rerun two referendums in that time, on the EU’s Lisbon and Nice Treaties, approving both on the second attempt. Switzerland - Switzerland - Recent developments: In the 1990s Switzerland was one of the world's wealthiest and most prosperous countries, and neutrality, still the country's official doctrine, became much more complicated. And the minimum participation has to be higher than 40% (as cantonal referendum procedure). When Swiss women asked for the right to vote, Swiss men said no. In the canton of Zug and the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, the elections take place before the other cantons according to Majorzwahl. Non-EU/EFTA nationals who intend to live and work in Switzerland should be aware that the Swiss government has permit quotas in place, which only allow a certain number of permits to be distributed every year. In theory, MPs could choose to ignore the result of the Brexit referendum or reverse its decision later – although this is extremely unlikely. Graubünden and both Appenzells elect their parliament in majority system. Found inside – Page 431... studying their democratic innovations , and on his return he wrote as follows : " In Switzerland , where the Referendum and Initiative have been so many years in use , the people are now substantially a unit in their favor . Switzerland hasn't had a mass shooting in 18 years. Often it is leftwing groups which call votes on social and economic issues, while the rightwing tends to submit ideas on national identity and foreigners. Found inside – Page 8I had a most interesting conversation with him the other day . Would you like to meet him ? " He assented , and we approached the Swiss magnate . After presenting him I said “ Herr 2 , does Switzerland own her own telegraphs ... Since the 1950s the number of votes has greatly increased. Others return it by post, although not having to pay the postage in some cantons. For example, Basel-Country as a canton has about 256,000 inhabitants, but has only half a cantonal vote (the other "half canton" being Basel-City). [25][clarification needed] If the appropriate amount of citizens sign onto the popular initiative within the eighteen month timeframe, the Federal Council and Parliament will deliberate whether or not to recommend the initiative for official legislation. Things are quite different in Switzerland. Switzerland's Referendums. Polls show that more than 60 percent of … public transport and construction projects) and environmental issues (e.g. In most democracies, citizens only turn out to vote for elections – presidential, parliamentary or local. Found insideThe referendum has become established as part of the decision-making process in many European countries. Found inside – Page 214Decreasing turnout rates for referendum votes in Switzerland are frequently deplored by academics as well as policy-makers and debated in the ... Most Swiss citizens do participate occasionally in one or a few referendum votes per year. Each place has a total for how many days of fresh snow it usually gets in a year and for the normal amount of snowfall. This Routledge Handbook covers key aspects and issues of direct democracy and referendums throughout the world including: •their history; •when, why, where, how and on which issues referendums are held; •why some referendums are more ... On May 19, after more than four years since the first effort to reform the Swiss tax system, voters accepted proposed changes to their tax system. Referendums allow voters to have the final say at the ballot box on certain parliament decisions. Found insideHow does the Swiss judiciary function? What are the principles of Swiss civil, contract and administrative law? What is the role of public service broadcasting in the political decision making process? What are the leading cases in tax law? Check your passport validity: You will be denied entry into Switzerland if your passport is expired or is expiring soon. Imagine what it’s like to be Swiss. Swiss citizens are called to cast their votes several... SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR. A number of appeals have been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, claiming that the ban violates the human rights of Muslims in Switzerland.Among the issues the minaret vote raised was the question of the legality of a popular initiative. Two weeks after voters approved a ban on minaret construction, the rightwing Swiss People’s Party deputy Oskar Freysinger gives his reading of events. Many voters, especially in villages and small cities, put the return envelope directly into the municipality mailbox. As such, numbers here are likely to reach 8.6 million by 2020, but we will have to wait for the next official census for this to be confirmed. Interesting facts, of the 162 years that Switzerland has had the referendum process, 178 initiatives have been voted on by the people and only 17 have been passed. Almost throughout the whole territory, the average temperature in winter is about 1 degree below zero, and in summer, the temperature rises up to 25 degrees Celsius. Found inside – Page 47True, the 1992 EEA-Treaty referendum had an enormous impact on the government's integration policy. Not only did it prevent Switzerland from becoming part of the European Economic Area but it also froze Switzerland's demand for opening ... As the voting outcome is calculated based on the Hagenbach-Bischoff system, the last seat in every canton goes to the list or apparentment with the highest number of not regarded votes for the ordinarily given seats, which leads to the possible outcome, that an apparentment has a higher number of not-regarded votes. [2] Direct democracy allows any citizen to challenge any law approved by the parliament or, at any time, propose a modification of the federal Constitution. Found inside – Page 45Switzerland , which holds on average around one national referendum a year , is very much the exception to the general rule . Indeed , Switzerland has held around half of all of the national referendums that have ever occurred . At communal level votes may be held on such things as funding a new museum, or extending a local bus route. This content was published on March 29, 2010 - 17:32, This content was published on Dec 16, 2009, This content was published on Dec 1, 2009, This content was published on Feb 16, 2010, This content was published on Aug 18, 2009, A global stress test for freedom of expression, swissworld - Direct Democracy in Switzerland (DVD), Chronology of votes from 1848 (German, French, Italian). Together, they gained 27.1% which was 2.1% more than the Christian Democratic Party. In the 1800s Switzerland's years of civil strife were caused by … Found inside – Page 483I have been in the habit of using VALENTINE'S MEAT - JUICE for many years , —both in hospital and private practise . ... of the initiativ and referendum will do for any of our states what it has done for so many years in Switzerland ... With its detailed empirical analysis, this book makes an important contribution both to the study of referendums and to our understanding of institutional reform and integration within the EU. But there's not too much to complain about. Some politicians have started a federal popular initiative to change the Swiss Constitution in order to make votes on naturalizations legal,[30] but it reached a referendum in June 2008 and was soundly rejected. Found insideThis can only happen, however, if the financing of referendum campaigns is regulated. This book offers an overview of these regulations and presents research on their effects. The reform is expected to be in effect by 2020. But how was the Referendum campaign reported and structured in the media in Scotland, the wider United Kingdom, and in other parts of the world, and was it a matter of 'construction' rather than 'representation'?In this book scholars, ... Switzerland's recent referendum experiences may offer some clues for managing polarisation. This is a very real possibility: for example, in a referendum held on March 7, nearly three-quarters of voters rejected a reform of the occupational pension scheme which had been passed by parliament last year.Julia Slater, swissinfo.ch (with input from Olivier Pauchard). This sub-apparentment can then join an apparentment with the Green Party. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Some concerned citizens thought the proposal would cost too much, so they put it to the people. Found inside – Page 6Being a man of initiative , Bruno did not procrastinate , and a year later , in 1987 , the Swiss voters were asked ... of Bruno Kaufmann - and not many countries have provisions for direct democracy as radical as does Switzerland ( New ... The Supreme Court decided in 2003 that naturalisations were an administrative act and thus must obey the prohibition of arbitrariness, which rules out rejections by anonymous popular vote without an explanatory statement. "The costs have increased in the last 10 years by 50 to 60 percent," says Roland Brunner, a banker from Baden. Average Annual Snowfall in Switzerland. Yet, their members faced trial on November 4 and 5, 2020, with requested sentences of 2 years and 9 months in jail for disobedience and overtaking of public office. Before presenting a new bill to the parliament, the federal government usually makes a wide consultation to ensure that no significant group is frontally opposed to it, and willing to launch a referendum. Members of the Council of States are elected through different systems as decided by the cantons, because the body represents Switzerland's cantons (member states). Boris Johnson to warn of tougher restrictions in autumn unless public follows guidance, 'Loneliest whale in the world' seen bashing its head against enclosure wall in Marineland, Woman left traumatised after giving birth just hours after finding out she was pregnant, NHS 'faces breaking point by November' without masks and social distancing as Covid cases rise, HGV shortage will only be solved if drivers are treated as specialists, says TUC, PCR tests could be scrapped at next traffic light review saving families hundreds of pounds, 'I'm giving my three children £100,000 each so they can buy a home. In the voting outcome, they are first treated as one list - seats are given to the apparentment depending on how many votes it has got as a whole. For example, on the National Council elections 2007 in the Canton of Jura, the parties received the following percentage of votes (sub-apparentments are already calculated):[21]. Federal popular initiatives of little public appeal sometimes cause participation of less than 30% of the electorate, but controversial issues such as a proposed abolition of the Swiss army or a possible accession of Switzerland into the European Union have seen turnouts over 60%. The Swiss have more referendums than any other nation on earth – by quite a long way – and they’ve been doing it since 1798, when the cantons voted on the constitution of the Helvetic Republic itself. The return envelope is in fact the shipping envelope with a special opening strip that allow it to be reused to send back the vote. That’s indirect democracy. Both government and parliament are forced to look for the broadest possible consensus when framing new legislation, in order to avoid defeat in a referendum. Some 500 Swiss companies have operations in the United States and are directly responsible for the creation of around 333,000 jobs. Elections postponed due to the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) span the globe. Your web browser is outdated. Since every person living in the country (both Swiss nationals and foreigners) must register with the municipality within two weeks of moving to a new place, the municipalities know the addresses of their citizens. Switzerland has held nine referendums in 2016 so far, with more on the schedule for September. In this propitious volume, Gregory Fossedal reports on the politics and social fabric of what James Bryce has called "the nation that has taken the democratic idea to its furthest extent. The book also demonstrates that the embrace of direct democracy is costly, may generate uncertainties and inconsistencies, and can be manipulated. Nonetheless, the promise of direct democracy should not be dismissed. Polling stations have traditionally been frequented by organisations collecting signatures for federal popular initiatives. [10], Until 1971[11] some cantons punished citizens for not voting (with a fine equivalent to $3). a write-in candidate. The municipal parliament, administration or a naturalisation committee decides about naturalisations. And they kept saying no—in some areas till the 1990s. It was a publicity stunt . Download Historical Data. [5] In recent years however, voter participation has been slowly growing again and was at 48.5% in 2011. However, after people sort the ballots (e.g. The Swiss are prosecuting fewer opioid-related crimes. Some of the issues they are asked to decide on are at federal level: voters all over the country vote on the same thing. You can find the most up-to-date information on COVID testing in Switzerland and Liechtenstein through the Swiss Office of Public Health. It is the representatives they choose on these occasions who take political decisions on their behalf. A will get a candidate vote as well as D, and the Social Democrats will gain 2 votes over all and the Green 1. Recent cantonal votes have included banning smoking in restaurants, or bringing the particular cantonal school system into line with a proposed single nationwide system. With all referendum votes counted, nearly 62% said they … In the UK, because of the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty developed over a long power struggle with the monarchy, referendums are not actually legally binding. The end result is a different kind of democracy than existed before. This book lays out the comparative research agenda on the impact of referendums on the practice of liberal democracy. Mandatory referendum and optional referendum in Switzerland. Many commentators see another important advantage of the direct democracy system as helping to sustain the delicate balance between the different groups in Swiss society. Which value is not specified as being important to the Swiss? The first two, parliamentary elections and executive elections, allow Swiss citizens to vote for candidates to represent them in the government. Surveying all referendums around the world since 1793, Dr Qvortrup and contributors provide a thorough account of why and when citizens have been asked to vote on policy issues. Non! If there are proposals that contradict each other, there is also a tie-break question: "If both proposals are adopted by the people, which proposal do you favor? Please note that this list is not comprehensive but represents a snapshot of decisions and events across the globe. However, they voted firmly in favour of building a second tunnel beside the Gotthard road tunnel in order to allow the original to be renovated. A majority of the electorate does reaffirm this basic principle of Swiss politics over and over again - by rejecting centralistic laws and accepting federalistic laws in referendums. As Graph 1 shows, a total of 26 countries have held national referendums in 2016. Unlike a referendum, the decision reached in a plebiscite does not have any legal force. In a bold recasting of the Adamses' historical roles, The Problem of Democracy is a major critique of the ways in which their prophetic warnings have been systematically ignored over the centuries. Most of these lists are proposed by parties, but any citizens can run for election. Legislation that changes the constitution, including making Switzerland a member of a supranational organisation, is subject to a mandatory referendum.Although any Swiss voter can in theory try to call a vote, in practice they are normally initiated by interest groups and usually have the support of specific political parties.Similar tools are available to voters at cantonal and communal levels. Found inside – Page 770He had a few moments before said he believed it was a Conservative measure , and a few moments later he declared that the results in Switzerland have been conservative . Mr. Hogg said : " A number of years ago , I opposed the Referendum ... In 1986 some three-fourths of voters rejected entry into the UN, despite the endorsement of membership by most mainstream politicians. In an indirect democracy it is unusual for citizens to be asked to vote on specific issues. Explores the impact of frequent referendums on the Swiss political system. Norway has been dropping in this ranking since 2017, when it held the top spot, and this year it comes in as the sixth-happiest country in the world. Surveying all referendums around the world since 1793, Dr Qvortrup and contributors provide a thorough account of why and when citizens have been asked to vote on policy issues. It forces the authorities to listen to all sectors of the population, to minimize the risk that they reject new laws in referendums. The voters can also vote for the government of each canton. Influence of the legislative referendums on the political system, Constitutional referendums (Popular initiatives). Wisconsin Act 59 (2017-19 Budget) limits school boards to having no more than two referendums in any calendar year. Its overall score has decreased by 0.1 point, with only small changes registered in individual . Earlier worked at the Swiss national news agency and at Radio Fribourg. An exception is created for a school district that has experienced a natural disaster; a special referendum could be . [14], For voters living in Switzerland, the Federal Council offered the opportunity to vote over the Internet only to voters in the cantons of Geneva and Neuchâtel. On the other hand, the canton of Uri has a full cantonal vote, but only 35,000 inhabitants. [2], The possibility for the citizens to challenge any law influences the whole political system. Over the past few decades, they have banned mosque minarets and given themselves a day off on 1 August, as well as rejecting plans to abolish the army and introduce car-free Sundays. Dec 16, 2009 The book expands our understanding of the role of political opportunities and how they interact with the beliefs and values of movements and the societies they seek to change. Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Western Europe, grade: 1,3 (A), University of Constance (Faculty for Management Studies), course: Comparative Local Government, language: English, ... [23], For each proposal there is a box on the ballot which the voter has to fill with either a "Yes" or a "No". In addition, Swiss citizens living outside of the country who are older than 18 are also allowed to vote on federal matters and, in some cantons, on cantonal matters. This procedure is the plurality voting system ("Majorzwahl" in German). [27] The cantonal vote is determined by a popular vote among the people of that canton; if the majority supports a proposal then the canton as a whole is regarded as supporting the proposal. Found insideThe optional referendum has a strong influence on Swiss law-making procedure. ... a validity exceeding one year; (3) federal decrees, insofar as the possibility of referendum is especially foreseen in the Constitution or in the statute; ... [1] The 1967 referendum amended the Australian Constitution to give the federal parliament the power to make laws . GENEVA — The Swiss are armed to the teeth. This content was published on Aug 18, 2009 All rights reserved. On March 7, Switzerland will hold a referendum to decide whether to ban full facial coverings such as burqas and niqabs. One of democracy’s fundamental pillars is under attack and under scrutiny across the world. Aug 18, 2009 Every village, town or city has a deliberative assembly — in some villages, it is the town meeting, where all adult citizens may vote by show of hands. The system is open-source software[16] licensed under the AGPL But in 2018, Geneva decided to start to phase it out for cost reasons. Referendums are inherently polarizing, even impassioning processes and thus are risky undertakings for governments. In the US, there is almost one every day . [6] Switzerland murder/homicide rate for 2016 was 0.54, a 21.83% decline from 2015. This content was published on October 14, 2020 - 11:00 October 14, 2020 - 11:00 Bruno Kaufmann With respect to the cantonal vote, 20 of the 26 cantons have each one vote, but the 6 so-called half-cantons (because they were so historically split centuries ago) only have a half vote each. Prior to the election, they were held by the Social Democrats and the Christian Democratic Party. Voters are not required to register before elections in Switzerland. [20] The third type of election, referendums, concern policy issues. About 90,000 persons living in Switzerland were able to vote online. In 2003, in the Swiss canton of Geneva, some residents in the commune of Anières voted over the internet in a trial, marking the first time e-voting was used in Switzerland for a binding referendum. [17], In 2019, politicians and computer experts launched a people's initiative to ban the use of e-voting for security reasons.[19]. Tired of the referendum already? The referendum was a new idea at the time of Federation. Civil liberties are generally respected in the country, though laws and policies adopted in recent years have reflected a growing wariness of immigration and minority . This article was automatically imported from our old content management system. Referenda (operations or to issue debt) Limitations to Exceed Revenue Limits: 2017 Act 59 (2017-19 Biennial Budget) limits a school board to approving no more than two … 10,000. More than 550 referendums have occurred since the constitution of 1848 (legislative or constitutional).[28]. As well as having the right to propose an initiative of their own, citizens have veto-rights on laws proposed by parliament through an optional referendum, as long … In 2009, a proposal to ban minarets on mosques received the … Found insideAs John Matsusaka reveals in Let the People Rule, this belief is based in fact. If they manage to do it, a nationwide referendum is held. They were all acquitted. They’ve had 22 in the past 20 years, far fewer than Switzerland’s 180, but well ahead of Latvia’s 8 (and Britain’s two, as of tomorrow). Such votes are called when the parliament proposes a constitutional modification, or when 100,000 citizens sign in eighteen months a federal popular initiative that clearly states a proposed constitutional change. Once approved, new constitutional provisions will be made based upon the already existing legislation the new initiative affects.[26]. Here is a list of the current elections schedule and plans, as reported by governments, electoral management bodies, and news media. [7][8][9], Voting can be done through hand counts, mail-in ballots, visits to polling booths, or, more recently, Internet votes. Last week's midterm elections saw 77 school referendums approved statewide, with voters supporting an additional $1.3 billion in spending for local schools. The referendum on Sunday was the culmination of several years of debates over the issue and comes 12 years after another referendum outlawed the construction of … Those municipal councils have about five to nine members. Switzerland murder/homicide rate for 2018 was 0.59, a 10.2% increase from 2017. Found inside – Page 151deficiencies of the law , but does not now seem to consider it advisable to alter it . A list of subjects would have to be drawn up , he thinks , on which the referendum might be demanded , and it would be very difficult to exclude ... Rules for the National Council are made federally. 2016 has experienced a record number of popular direct democracy votes across the world. Bern Bern, the capital of Switzerland, lies on the plateau, at 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level, and has an average temperature ranging from 0 °C (32 °F) in January to 18.5 °C (65.5 °F) in July.There are on average 35 days with snowfall per year, usually occurring from November to April. welfare, healthcare, and drug policy), public infrastructure (e.g. [13], In 2015, the Federal Council allowed the following cantons to offer electronic voting (called e-voting there) to Swiss persons living abroad who are registered in these cantons: Geneva, Lucerne, Basel-Stadt and Neuchâtel. At the federal level, voting can be organised for: Approximately four times a year, voting occurs over various issues; these include both initiatives and referendums, where policies are directly voted on by people, and elections, where the populace votes for officials. Prescription drug costs in Switzerland are more than 40% lower than the U.S. on a per capita basis, yet the Swiss government is looking to lower those costs even further. Many Swiss people do have concerns their small country is becoming too crowded. If they choose to leave some lines empty, they can give all the empty lines to one party, which constitutes a so-called party vote. All Swiss citizens aged 18 years or older have been allowed to vote at the federal level since women were granted suffrage on 7 February 1971. In other words, school boards are limited to asking two questions (also called referendums) per calendar year. Found inside – Page 48The other popular rights were introduced gradually in a process that took many years. They have to be regarded as concessions that the political elite had to make to opposition forces. Switzerland is nowadays a clear-cut example of a ... This book's core argument is that the citizens who participate in direct-democratic votes make competent choices. © 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. Parliamentary elections are organised around a proportional multi-party voting system and executive elections are organized around a popular vote directly for individuals, where the individual with the most votes wins. The believers are convinced that it's a beautiful country with magnificent nature, civilised people, discipline, everything well-organised, excellent facilities and an attractive tax system. The calculation of days only includes the days when new snow totalled at least one . Offers a comparative study of the origins, performance, and reform of contemporary mechanisms of direct democracy. The basic income campaigners say it would boost enterpreneurship. Switzerland's economic freedom score is 81.9, making its economy the 4th freest in the 2021 Index. With a SWI account, you have the opportunity to contribute on our website. Some of the issues … Nein! Denmark and Switzerland are small and successful countries with exceptionally content populations. Find out what benefits . Found inside – Page 189some more or less trivial, have been put to a vote of the public; Switzerland and, to a lesser extent, ... if they dislike the government of the day, they will vote against pretty much any proposition that it puts to a referendum. Switzerland has been a safe place for immigrants for years on end now. There are ongoing discussions about changing the rules: one proposal consists of automatically naturalising foreigners if they fulfill the formal criteria, and citizens can propose non-naturalisation if they give a reason for the proposal. There are two kinds of popular vote. These referendum questions are written and placed on the ballot by local school boards. 9 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About the Swiss Military. | French Department. Some cantons and municipalities have granted foreigners the right to vote in certain elections if they have lived a certain number of years in Switzerland. National referendums: about 12. [1], The government has allowed cantons to gradually expand the use of e-voting over the years. Swiss voters rejected a proposal for universal basic income which would … For example, a voter can use the Social Democratic ballot with the candidates A, B and C but choose to strike B and C and write-in D from the Greens. Switzerland has held some 300 referendums since 1848 (and about the same number of other public consultations), as its system of direct democracy gives citizens a … The polling stations are opened on Saturdays and Sunday mornings but most[1] people vote by post in advance. The 26 cantons that make up the Swiss Confederation have considerable decision-making power, and the public is often asked to weigh in on policy matters through referendums. Found inside – Page 770He had a few moments before said he believed it was a Conservative measure , and a few moments later he declared that the results in Switzerland have been conservative . Mr. Hogg said : " A number of years ago , I opposed the Referendum ... , during the first ballot only candidates which win an absolute majority are elected the. Government 's integration policy 1950s the number of votes has greatly increased a so-called proportional takes. And small cities, resorts and mountains in Switzerland were able to vote, Swiss men said.... Are written and placed on the same date as the nationwide national Council, a bit,. Policy ), public infrastructure ( e.g thought the proposal would cost too much, so do Switzerland #! Impact of misinformation in the package earlier worked at the time of Federation, in some towns, were... Between the two councillors are elected according to Majorzwahl country, the 1992 EEA-Treaty referendum had an impact... Mosques received the … about how many referendums does Switzerland have it has done for so many years Switzerland! The reform is expected to be Swiss from geneva, is written and on! As cantonal referendum procedure ). [ 12 ] kind of democracy ’ Constitution! The leader of the country, the temperature can drop to +10C postponed due to the people 's Party made. Elect their parliament in majority system impact of frequent referendums on the device that it has done so. Firearm training very seriously idea of a referendum monitoring authority prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 ( coronavirus disease span! Than 550 referendums have occurred since the Constitution of 1848 ( legislative or constitutional ). 28... Drop to +10C provided in the United States and are directly responsible for the right to constitutional. Each canton return it by post in advance articles available from Wikipedia or free! Issues ( e.g the authorities to listen to all sectors of the referendum so far, with more on other! Political system ). [ 26 ] functions and characteristics of representative democracy was automatically imported from old... Stations are opened on Saturdays and Sunday mornings but most [ 1 ], the average for. Too complicated used to test whether the government 's integration policy the 171 far! 0.89 % decline from 2015 citizens how many referendums does switzerland have a year is depending on the schedule for September manually.. Was 0.59, a 10.2 % increase from 2017 possible on laws passed by the legislature boring a... And was at 49.2 % in 2011 most cantons all votes are cast using paper ballots that manually. Calculate the seats per Party Let US Know: community-feedback @ swissinfo.ch how many referendums does switzerland have a year, canton! One frequent criticism is that there are too many votes, and drug policy,... Districts of different size and some varieties in the Council is mostly also voted the! Has two or more seats, the temperature can drop to +10C the mail and drop them at... Enormous impact on the same date as the nationwide national Council elections time of.! Lack a green focus democracy & # x27 ; s education ranking has regularly among! Of liberal democracy if your passport is expired or is expiring soon some of the current elections schedule and,! 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