A shortage of military personnel is creating challenges for Switzerland’s leaders. This week, the Federal Council said it wants to make it harder for conscripts to opt for community service and to use some of those doing civil service for defense. However, the idea was met with resistance.
Over the years, it has become easier for young Swiss men to choose civil instead of military service. Those with minor medical and fitness problems or those claiming to be contientious objectors can fairly easily choose to do civil instead of military service. Those doing so must serve 50% longer than military conscripts, so it isn’t all plain sailing. And those with more significant medical or fitness issues must pay a supplimentary tax of 3% of their income for 11 years in lieu of service.
Young men opting for fast track military service must complete 300 days of service in one stretch. Most spread it out over a longer time period. There is no service obligation for women.
Until 2009, there was a formal process for establishing if someone was a true contientious objector. Any inconsistencies in a claimant’s explanation would void their assertion. However, since 2009, there has been no examination proceedure.
Now there is a shortage of military personnel. The Federal Council warned that there will be a shortage of around 20,000 civil defense personnel by 2030. To plug the gap, those doing civil service should be required to take part in civil defense operations, argues the Federal Council. Parliamentarian and President of the Civil Protection Association Maja Riniker has been calling for this for a long time.
Others are opposed to the idea. Parliamentarian Priska Seiler Graf, who is president of the Civil Service Association, has already announced a referendum against the Federal Council’s plans. Civil service provides a service to society and is not there to boost civil defense, she said.
The Federal Council aims to present a new service model at the end of the year. One of the obvious questions being discussed is: whether to extend conscription to the other half of Switzerland’s population?
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
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