A recent survey suggests that most Swiss support giving more rights to foreigners.
A majority of Swiss (52%) surveyed either strongly (21%) or largely (31%) agree that foreigners should be granted political rights, for example the right to vote at communal or cantonal level, believing it would help with integration. The overall percentage was 5 percentage points higher than in 2018 (47%) and 4 percentage points higher than in 2016 (48%).
In addition, 59% either strongly (29%) and largely (30%) agree that those born in Switzerland should automatically qualify for Swiss citizenship, and, 69% think that someone living in Switzerland for 5 years should be allowed to bring close family members into the country. Both of these percentages are higher than in 2018. Automatic citizenship for those born in Switzerland was supported by 57% in 2018 and family reunification by 61%.
Regarding access to the Swiss job market, only 27% strongly (9%) or largely (18%) agreed that when jobs are scarce, foreigners who have lived in Switzerland for less than five years should be sent back to their country of origin. The same percentage in 2018 was 31% and 34% in 2016.
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