Opponents of the decision to boost Switzerland’s financial contribution to the European border agency Frontex staged a demonstration in the capital on Saturday, ahead of a nationwide vote on May 15.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/dos
The rally was called by around 80 different groups including NGOs, left-wing parties, and churches, who attacked the “wall-building” policies symbolised by Frontex. Organisers claimed 3,000 people showed up, while news agencies and the local Berner Zeitung paper said “around a thousand”.
The opponents say Frontex is responsible for human rights violations at Europe’s external borders, where its job is to track down illegal immigration and criminal smuggling. Its backers, including the government and centrist and right-wing parties, say Switzerland – as a member of Europe’s border-free Schengen area – is obliged to play its part in contributing to the policing of its borders.
Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has even intimated that a “no” vote could lead to Switzerland leaving the Schengen system altogether. The opponents say rejecting the finance increase for Frontex would give Switzerland more clout to push for a reform of it.
More
More
Switzerland votes on its contribution to European border agency
This content was published on
Switzerland’s contribution to the European border and coastguard agency Frontex is being put to a vote on May 15. An explainer.
After a majority in parliament approved the boost in annual funding last year – from CHF24 million to CHF61 million by 2027 – left-wing groups and NGOs successfully collected the 50,000 signatures needed to force a referendum.
Opinion polls ahead of the May 15 vote don’t look good for the “no” side: a survey in the second half of March found 63% already planning to vote in favour of the issue.
The Frontex vote is one of three on the ballot for Swiss voters on May 15: the others are a proposal to make organ donation consent presumed, and a law to make online streaming platforms contribute more cash to Swiss film production.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
Milei orders Argentina’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization
This content was published on
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has announced plans to pull the country out of the Geneva-headquartered World Health Organization (WHO).
‘Europe’ initiative halts signature collection to focus on Swiss-EU treaty
This content was published on
The initiative sought to embed Swiss-EU relations in the Federal Constitution, but the organisers have now stopped signature collection.
Swiss study sheds light on link between obesity and metabolic diseases
This content was published on
ETH Zurich researchers collected cells from overweight individuals to identify biological markers that raise the risk of metabolic diseases.
Swiss retail sector sees slight decline despite strong online sales
This content was published on
Black Friday, which performed well in some areas of Switzerland, and Christmas sales could not make up for the losses of previous months.
Over 6,000 Swiss companies go bankrupt but start-ups see growth
This content was published on
Switzerland recorded a spike in bankruptcies last year, but there was also a rise in new start-ups. Trends varied significantly by region and sector.
Basel greenlights funding for Eurovision Village 2025
This content was published on
MCH Group Ltd. is set to receive CHF1 million ($1.1 million) for the Eurovision Village at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
Geneva researchers discover potential for targeted cancer drug delivery
This content was published on
Researchers in Geneva have discovered how some bacteria inject dangerous enzymes into cells, potentially enabling targeted drug delivery to cancer cells.
Macron denies involvement in Nestlé Waters scandal
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron denied any “agreement” or “collusion” with the Swiss company Nestlé over the bottled water scandal on Tuesday.
Switzerland sceptical on EU plan to boost border force
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga has expressed scepticism about EU plans to expand the EU border force Frontex.
This content was published on
In an interview with Swiss public radio, SRF, Fabrice Leggeri said that Switzerland could contribute more at a time when EU countries are strengthening their borders. Frontex has just put together a reserve rapid-response unit of 1,500 border control experts. The new intervention group is soon to be put into use, mainly in Italy, where…
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.