Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1978.^[1] The first four were held on 26 February on a popular initiative "for more co-decisions of the Federal Assembly and the People on national road making" (rejected), an amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance (approved), a popular initiative to lower the retirement age (rejected) and amending the article on the economic cycle in the Swiss Federal Constitution (approved).^[1] The next five referendums were held on 28 May on a law on time (rejected), an amendment to the tariff law (approved), a new federal law banning abortion (rejected), a federal law on promoting research and universities (rejected) and a popular initiative "for 12 Sundays a year free from motor vehicles" (rejected).^[2]

A tenth referendum was held on 24 September on creating a new canton named Jura, which was approved. The final set of referendums were held on 3 December on a resolution on dairy farming (approved), an animal protection law (approved), a federal law on security (rejected) and a federal law on vocational education (approved).^[2]