Geneva shatters a restriction on outdoor advertising.

Voters narrowly defeated a ban on advertising billboards in public places in Geneva, Switzerland. According to official election results on Sunday, 51.9% of voters rejected a local government proposal supported by left-wing parties and environmental organizations.

Ban opponents claimed the rule would restrict free commerce, hurt local firms, and cause a CHF10 million ($10.9 million) annual income loss. According to its supporters, commercial advertising is equivalent to environmental contamination and a barrier to mobility.

In Vernier, a town close to Geneva, the local council voted in September last year to outlaw billboards and other types of street advertising. One of many elections held at the local and cantonal levels in Switzerland was held on Sunday in Geneva.

The upcoming national elections will take place in June.