Campaigners for basic income in Switzerland set Guinness World Record

The campaigners created a poster measuring 8,115 square metres

Campaigners calling for Switzerland to introduce a basic income for its citizens have set a Guinness world record with their campaign just weeks before people go to the polls.

Basic Income Switzerland, which campaigns for all adults in the country to receive an income of at least 2,500 Swiss Francs (£1,700) a month regardless of whether people are working or not, set the record by creating the biggest poster on record.

The group laid the 8,115.53 square metre poster out in the Plaine de Plainpalais, Geneva, on Sunday. It weighs a total of seven tonnes and asks the question: “What would you do if your income were taken care of?”

The vote on the basic income will take place on 5 June in a non-binding referendum, following campaigners having submitted a petition of more than 100,000 signatures, which is needed to call a referendum.

Experts have said a minimum income for all citizens would almost certainly require the government to raise taxes, the Local reports. A spokesperson for the group told the news site: “What we are seeking in this referendum is that everyone in Switzerland has enough money to exist.”

The poster created by the campaign group beat previous record holder Fareed Lafta, whose own effort measured 7,164.78 square meters. Mr Lafta laid the poster out in Karbala, Iraq, in February this year at the Karbala stadium.