On 15 June 2022, a proposal put forward by Stefania Prezioso Batou, a federal parliamentarian from Geneva, to grant automatic citizenship to those born in Switzerland was rejected by 112 to 75 votes in Switzerland’s federal parliament, reported 20 Minutes.
Batou would like to see the introduction of jus soli where a child born in Switzerland to foreign parents and schooled in Switzerland would automatically qualify for Swiss citizenship at the age of 18.
Those against the idea argued that being born and raised in Switzerland did not guarantee integration. In addition, automating the process at a federal level would run counter to cantonal independence on the naturalisation process.
A similar proposal was rejected in December 2021 by the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house.
Unrestricted jus soli, or birthright citizenship, is rare beyond North and South America, where it remains the norm. Beyond these regions, only Chad, Lesotho, Tanzania, Tuvalu and Pakistan have it, while another 30 odd nations have restricted forms of it.
Gaining Swiss citizenship is slow and difficult. It requires a minimum of 10 years residence in Switzerland on the right kind of permit and a long list of other requirements. Applications for Swiss nationality must be approved by the federal administration, cantons and the municipality where the applicant resides. In the end, many who call Switzerland home never get around to becoming Swiss, sometimes after several generations.
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20 Minutes article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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Thomas Bieri says
In Switzerland we do not only elect a Parlament but also vote in average 15 times a jear to many questions of our sociaty. So we want peopel to be integratet and live and feel responsibel to our way of life….
Kari Olsen says
Bravo Switzerland! This is the way to do it! 👏👏 we only need to look at countries where the passport is handed out on sikver platters, and to look at how these countries are being destroyed.
May this never happen to Switzerland! 🙏
Anonymous says
No granting of citizenship means also, no obligation to do military time.
Michael says
To get a Swiss passport was never so easy moreover approximately 60% of the Swiss population have migrational background. So your information for this article is much outdated.
Alex says
Per gli ucraini non è valido.. Sono le persone VIP.