An initiative to reform military service has gathered enough signatures to force the issue to a vote.
Campaigners want to move away from the army to a more active citizen’s service.
They say young people could be called into action to provide help after a natural disaster, such as storm damage, or work with drug addicts and form a rescue corp.
The major change is the new focus will include women.
But the long running campaign group, Switzerland Without an Army, says it would strongly oppose any extension to compulsory service.
It also says the move could undercut wages - and including women would be unfair as many are already involved in unpaid care work.
But the idea does have the backing of many political parties.
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