![In 1892 Switzerland’s first popular initiative was presented. Since then, the population has had recourse to the possibility of forcing a vote. Illustration: Marco Heer](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/Illu-1-300x225.jpg)
The first popular initiative
There’s a first time for everything. In this series, we take a look at the world of Swiss firsts. Today: Switzerland’s first popular initiative.
![Switzerland’s first popular initiative collected nearly 90,000 signatures, with a good 83,000 of them assessed as valid.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/Volksinitiative-201x300.jpg)
![Switzerland’s first popular initiative collected nearly 90,000 signatures, with a good 83,000 of them assessed as valid.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/initiative-angenommen-brief-214x300.jpg)
Switzerland’s first popular initiative collected nearly 90,000 signatures, with a good 83,000 of them assessed as valid. Swiss Federal Archives
![Portrait of Joseph Zemp.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/zemp-215x300.jpg)
![Collecting signatures for the popular initiative ‘Decriminalisation of abortion’, 1971.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/unterschriften-300x198.jpg)
The first time…
There’s always a first time. In this series, we will be looking at historic Swiss firsts. The topics covered are very diverse: from the first zebra crossing to the first ever popular initiative. The articles have been produced in cooperation with the Schweizerisches Bundesarchiv (Swiss Federal Archives).