The Swiss government has presented draft legislation to end its ban on building new commercial nuclear power plants, reversing its existing policy, adopted after a 2017 referendum, to phase out the technology.

The plan would allow companies to apply for licences to build reactors – if approved by parliament and upheld in a potential referendum.

Meanwhile, a popular initiative known as “Stop the Blackout” wants the shift to be constitutionally enshrined, which would be more difficult to achieve than a legislative change.