The change had been pushed by the political left. In the end, 38 votes were in favour of the amendment, 33 against.
Marie Barbey-Chappuis, the mayor of Geneva and head of the sports department, tried to convince the city council to vote no. “In most cases the wearing of burkinis is not the choice of women but the result of a patriarchal society, which is what the left is fighting against,” she argued.
The current regulation has been working satisfactorily for five years and meets the requirements of hygiene and safety, she said.
For proponents of the amendment, the burkini ban marginalised an already vulnerable section of the population. In their eyes, the burkini is just a simple swimming costume. Other swimming pools in French-speaking Switzerland already have such rules. It’s about showing empathy and inclusivity, said a politician from the left-wing Social Democratic Party.
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party has already announced that it will launch a referendum against this change. It said the left was playing with the wishes of minorities and campaigning without caring about the hygiene problems the burkini could cause, said a People’s Party politician.
More
More
Swiss plan fines for those breaking ‘burqa ban’
This content was published on
The Swiss government wants fines of up to CHF1,000 ($1,000) for people who break a ban on face coverings in public places.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
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.
This content was published on
Sura Al-Shawk, a Swiss citizen of Iraqi origin, appealed her regional league’s ban in September 2009 and her case has rumbled on ever since. It is still nowhere near to being resolved, according to her lawyer Daniel Vischer. The 20-year-old player for national B-league STV Luzern has been unable to take part in games since…
Anti-racism official: ‘burka ban’ is excuse to attack Islam
This content was published on
“Hidden faces disturb me but the issue should not necessarily be subject to a ban. In France it hasn’t resolved anything,” declared Brunschwig Graf in an interview in Tuesday’s edition of the French-speaking Tribune de Genève and 24Heures newspapers. A group of rightwing politicians that was behind the successful 2009 vote to ban the 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.