Understand i am treading water out of my depth here, but didn't Switzerland hold a peoples vote/referendum to chose their fighter/interceptor many moons ago and come up with the F-18C?
I am aware that their style of Government differers greatly from our own, but should in a democracy like Australia's (snigger) let the people choose?
According to the book 'Hornets Down Under', the Swiss government chose the F-18C as the most appropriate aircraft in 1988, and announced the downselection. There was subsequently a reassessment over Switzerland's security situation but the choice of the F-18C was re-affirmed. The referendum was over whether or not to spend the money, rather than on the actual choice of aircraft.