Just in today, a referendum started in Bern, Switzerland, has managed to acquire the necessary 500,000 signatures for presentation to the Federal Assembly to be signed into law, this referendum?

Marriage equality.

Homosexuality in Switzerland has been legal since 1942, however members of the LGBT community are not legally allowed to marry, thanks to either previous conservative governments or a simple lack of attention. However now, thanks to a push by both individual citizens and the Green Party of Switzerland, in partnership with the Swiss Social Democratic Party, Green Liberal Party, and Conservative Democratic Party, the Proposal for the Recognition and Affirmation of Marital Equality has been placed before the Swiss National Assembly. The vote will be held later in the year, and the results announced at the beginning of next year.

Opposition has emerged from the traditionalist Swiss conservative bloc: the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Swiss People's Party, however the recent Federal Election and what is appearing to be a leftward shift in national politics may be able to slide the proposition through in spite of mounting resistance.

Corine Mauch, mayor of Zurich and the first openly gay person to serve in such a position in Swiss history, gave a statement earlier in the week, "If we can manage to do just this we're giving hope and helping thousands of people across our country - Switzerland cannot afford to falter behind our neighbors, nor can we allow ourselves to become victims of bigoted backlash." She later voiced thoughts that this may be a step towards the further legalization of joint-adoption for LGBT persons in Switzerland.