Faced with an anticipated influx of asylum seekers into Switzerland this autumn, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider is opposed to the federal government managing the entire process. The current "patchwork of responsibilities" offers "extremely valuable" solutions.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
العربية
ar
وزيرة العدل السويسرية تشيد باللامركزية في إدارة شؤون اللجوء
“We can’t centralise decisions and pool costs,” said the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police in an interview published in Le Matin Dimanche on Sunday. She said she is sensitive to the reality of the cantons.
However, the Social Democrat minister points out that “more creative political tools” could be envisaged in times of pressure. “The Covid [-19] crisis, the energy crisis and the climate crisis all call into question the system”.
More
More
Switzerland records 43% surge in asylum claims in first half of 2023
This content was published on
The number of asylum seekers have increased but this is not unexpected, says the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is expecting 28,000 asylum applications this year. Depending on geopolitical developments, this number could rise to 35,000. Between 20,000 and 25,000 people fleeing Ukraine are also expected to apply for asylum.
The cantons and municipalities will be providing 1,800 additional reception places for asylum seekers, the SEM announced on Friday. The remaining 1,200 places are currently being clarified. The government needs 3,000 additional places.
The agreement with the cantons “shows that trust has been established”, remarked Baume-Schneider, for whom the senate’s refusal in June to create 3,000 reception places in shipping containers was not due to unpreparedness. The situation “is complex and the process of dealing with political issues […] takes time”.
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate them into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. You can find them here.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Heard the one about the Swiss company installing laugh detectors?
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
Precious archaeological vases and coins returned to Italian museum
This content was published on
The Italian authorities have recovered over 2,500 precious ancient coins, vases and small sculptures that had been illegally dug up and sold in Switzerland, Eurojust announced on Monday.
PrimeEnergy Cleantech declared bankrupt by Swiss authorities
This content was published on
PrimeEnergy Cleantech has been officially declared bankrupt, the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC) reported on Monday.
This content was published on
The consumption of antibiotics has risen in Switzerland since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, compared to other European countries the Alpine country has one of the lowest levels of antibiotic usage.
Swiss financial watchdog foresees greater uncertainty due to geopolitics
This content was published on
The Swiss financial sector will face greater uncertainty due to the numerous geopolitical conflicts around the world, warns the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
Swiss museums to mark centenary of death of painter Félix Vallotton
This content was published on
Swiss museums will celebrate the centenary of the death of the artist Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) next year. A major retrospective is planned in Lausanne, his birthplace, in autumn.
Russian mission installs more ‘spy’ antennas in Geneva, Swiss TV report claims
This content was published on
Russian spies are strengthening their presence in Geneva, according to a report by Swiss public television, RTS. Russian officials have placed new satellite dishes on their diplomatic buildings without authorisation.
This content was published on
Switzerland should join NATO, as in the future it cannot rely on its long-standing tradition of neutrality for its defence, John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, declared in an interview on Sunday.
This content was published on
A demonstration was held in Geneva on Sunday calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Around 50 Russians took part in the gathering outside the UN building.
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.