A big relief - Swiss approve Indonesia free trade deal

Town officials sort out envelopes at the counting center the day of a Swiss vote on a free trade agreement with Indonesia in a binding referendum in Lausanne, Switzerland, March 7, 2021. - Reuters

GENEVA, March 7 (AFP): Swiss voters on Sunday narrowly backed a free trade deal signed with Indonesia, opening up a vast potential market with the world's fourth most populous country.

Controversy surrounding the importation of Indonesian palm oil and its sustainability fuelled enough concern in Switzerland to trigger a public vote on the agreement.