The Swiss National Council, the first Chamber of the Federal Assembly to debate the ratification of the Rome Statute, passed the ratification bill yesterday, 13 March 2001, with 135 against 26 votes. (NB: Some of the members of parliament who voted "no" may have done so to indicate that they wanted an obligatory instead of a facultative referendum on the question of ratification, that is, that the Swiss people automatically vote on the issue, and not only when 50'000 citizens so require.)