Swiss federal prosecutors and police searched homes and signature‑collection firms after roughly 30,000 signatures tied to about 20 popular initiatives were flagged as suspicious. The probe focuses on suspected forgery and potential electoral fraud spanning signatures collected since 2022 and involves complex forensic analysis because collectors are not required to identify themselves.

Swiss federal prosecutors launched searches of several homes and signature‑gathering firms amid an investigation into alleged forgery of roughly 30,000 signatures connected to about 20 popular initiatives. Authorities say the suspicious signatures were collected over multiple years—dating back to 2022 in some cases—and flagged during routine checks of petition authenticity. Investigators face intricate forensic challenges: Swiss petition law permits third‑party collectors and does not require collectors to register personal identity details, complicating attribution and proof of fabrication. The probe seeks to determine whether signatures were forged, fraudulently assembled, or otherwise ineligible, with potential criminal referrals for electoral fraud. Officials have emphasized the integrity of direct‑democracy mechanisms and the need for thorough examination of chain‑of‑custody and collection practices. The searches targeted firms that organize signature campaigns and private residences linked to suspected collectors, and prosecutors indicated the investigation will probe both individual wrongdoing and possible systemic vulnerabilities in the petition‑gathering ecosystem.