20 Minutes. A large majority of Swiss (77%) polled think a stable relationship with the European Union (EU) is an economic necessity and that EU agreements should be maintained. 75% of the 2,500 surveyed by gfs.bern between 9 and 25 February 2017, believe that agreements with the EU are needed to ensure the Swiss economy has […]
Albanian muslims agree religious rules cannot replace Swiss laws
20 Minutes. The two main Albanian muslim associations will sign a declaration in Bern today stipulating that no religious rules can replace Swiss laws. The Swiss Albanian muslim community and the Swiss union of Albanian imams will both sign the declaration in the presence of the Swiss authorities and representatives of Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. […]
Tax cheat loses right to Swiss citizenship
Tribune de Genève. A German national who married a Swiss citizen lost his right to Swiss citizenship after Swiss authorities learned he had evaded tax in Germany. Four years after marrying, the man applied to become Swiss. In March 2014, he was granted the right to be naturalised under the facilitated process, a process requiring […]
Vaud rejects plan to follow Geneva and give permits to illegal workers
Le Matin. Jean-Michel Dolivo put forward a motion for Vaud to follow Geneva and grant permits to illegal workers. Vaud’s cantonal parliament rejected the plan by 71 votes to 60. The proposal would have worked in a similar way to Papyrus, a plan unveiled in Geneva recently, which grants visas to illegal workers that meet […]
Nationwide burka ban rejected by Swiss government
20 Minutes. After the National Assembly narrowly accepted a proposal for a nationwide ban on the burka, the Council of States (upper house), rejected the plan on Thursday by 26 votes to 9, with 4 abstentions. The proposal put forward by Walter Wobmann (UDC/SVP) has now been definitively rejected. At the same time Walter Wobmann […]
Acceleration in number of Swiss emigrating
According to government statistics released today, the number of Swiss living abroad increased by 2.9% in 2016, reaching close to 775,000. This means around 1 in 9 Swiss nationals lives outside Switzerland. Growth in the number leaving has been accelerating. In previous years the growth rate was around 2%. At the end of 2015, there were 8,327,126 […]
Geneva plans to offer permits to thousands of illegal immigrants
Tribune de Genève. After more than 15 years, Geneva State councillor Pierre Maudet unveiled a plan code named operation Papyrus. The operation was negotiated with Switzerland’s federal government to regularise some of Geneva’s illegal immigrants, mainly domestic workers. Under the operation, 590 residence permits have already been granted. Pierre Maudet said “Papyrus is a roadmap for […]
Nearly 320,000 cross-border workers in Switzerland
20 Minutes. Foreign residents close to Switzerland’s borders continue to be drawn to the country to work. In 2016, the number of cross-border workers climbed by 11,300 to close to 320,000. After slowing, the number crossing into the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino is on the rise again. In 2011, there were 251,700 crossing into Switzerland […]
Dual nationals should give up one passport, says Swiss politician
20 Minutes. On 12 February 2017, Swiss will vote on whether to make it easier for third generation residents to become Swiss. The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) is firmly against the plan. Now UDC national councillor Erich Hess is voicing his annoyance at allowing naturalised foreigners to keep their other nationality. “We will never know […]
Swiss petition to ban Trump visiting fails to take off like the one in the UK
A Swiss petition to ban Trump visiting fails to take off like the one in the UK. A parliamentary petition in the UK attracted over one million signatures in a few days. By Sunday, 4 February 2017, over 1.8 million had signed it. UK parliament must discuss the issue and has scheduled to do so […]
