‘Foreign judges’ initiative rejected by Swiss parliament
Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said that the initiative was “very black and white” and represented “the very opposite of what defines Switzerland”.
Keystone
Both houses of parliament have decided to recommend rejecting a popular initiative aimed at giving Swiss legislation precedence over international law.
The House of Representatives followed the Senate’s lead on Monday and voted 127 to 67 against endorsing the initiative. The decision was made shortly before midnight, after a heated debate that lasted over nine hours.
The people’s initiative, backed by the conservative right Swiss People’s Party will likely come to a national vote later in 2018. If accepted, the initiative would place the status of Swiss national law above that of international treaties and bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights which can currently overturn decisions made in Swiss courts.
The government already expressed its opposition to the idea last year. The Swiss People’s Party is the only party in favour of the initiative.
Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said that the initiative was “very black and white” and represented “the very opposite of what defines Switzerland”. If it was accepted, it would unnecessarily force the country into a restrictive “corset”, she said. The initiative had also been formulated in contradictory terms and did not in fact clarify what it said it would, Sommaruga added.
More
More
Put national law before international law? Other countries do.
This content was published on
Should the Swiss constitution take precedence over international law. Here is a quick summary of the legal situation in other countries.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Parmelin meets Swiss businesses in US as IMF predicts 0.9% growth for Switzerland
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin met Swiss businesses in the US during IMF and World Bank meetings. The IMF now forecasts 0.9% GDP growth for Switzerland.
An atomic ‘tick-tock’ with Swiss technology heads to space to test the Einstein effect
This content was published on
On Monday, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the ACES set of atomic clocks to measure the effect of gravity on the passage of time.
Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony postponed following Pope Francis death
This content was published on
The swearing-in ceremony of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which usually takes place on May 6 each year, has been postponed to a date to be announced next autumn.
Swiss medical device maker Ypsomed to sell diabetes business
This content was published on
Bern-based injection device manufacturer Ypsomed announced on Tuesday that it was selling its diabetes-related activities.
Award-winning Swiss author and scholar Peter von Matt dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Alemannic writer and former professor of German literature Peter von Matt died on Monday in Zurich at the age of 87, following a long illness.
Swiss foreign minister spoke with Iranian counterpart about US dialogue
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has spoken with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the current dialogue between the US and Iran.
Swiss foreign minister appeals for cohesion and dialogue at Expo in Japan
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis called for cohesion and dialogue at the opening of the Swiss National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday.
Switzerland postpones launch of emergency number for domestic violence victims
This content was published on
The launch of the “142” emergency number, which aims to help victims of domestic violence in Switzerland, has been postponed to May 2026.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
International vs national law: a manufactured controversy?
This content was published on
The rightwing Swiss People’s Party is calling for a people’s initiative, saying that “democratically legitimised Swiss law” should take precedent over international law, despite the constitution stating the opposite. But human rights experts say the conflict is artificial.
‘We were the only ones who cared about Swiss self-determination’
This content was published on
Christoph Blocher speaks to swissinfo.ch about the 1992 vote on EEA membership, his millions, and politics a quarter of a century later.
Is Switzerland about to follow Russia’s legal lead?
This content was published on
International treaties or national law – what takes precedence? In Switzerland, a people’s initiative wants to decide this once and for all.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.