The House of Representatives unanimously agreed to call on the government to set up a panel, which issues recommendations in cases of cultural property confiscated by Germany’s Nazi regime during the Second World War.
Social Democratic parliamentarian Jon Pult argued that other countries, including Germany, France and Britain, established similar national panels of experts.
The house also came out in favour of extending the mandate of a future commission to help assess suspected cases of cultural goods acquired in a “colonial context”.
The other parliamentary chamber, the Senate, still has to discuss the proposals.
Interior Minister Alain Berset told parliament on Wednesday that the government was willing to prepare a bill, but it rejected proposals to define a detailed framework.
The debate came amid a barrage of criticism over the display of Emil Georg Bührle’s controversial collection at Zurich’s fine arts museum, which opened last October.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
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Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
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Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
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Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
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Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
Blatter, Platini return to court for new fraud trial over CHF2 million FIFA payment
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Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini appeared in court in Switzerland on Monday accused of fraud - 2.5 years after they were cleared.
Israel criticises Swiss decision to host Middle East conference in Geneva on Friday
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Israel has condemned Switzerland for planning to host a meeting on international humanitarian law in the Middle East next Friday in Geneva.
Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government
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Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians.
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Bern Art Museum restitutes two Otto Dix to presumed owners
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The tangled history of two watercolours by Dix illustrates the enormity of Cornelius Gurlitt’s tainted legacy for the Bern museum.
Miriam Cahn plans to pull works from Zurich Art Museum over Bührle Collection
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Swiss artist Miriam Cahn wants to remove her works on display at the Zurich Art Museum in response to the outcry over the Bührle collection.
Swiss gallery to return Nazi era looted Constable painting
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The council of La Chaux-de-Fonds, in canton Neuchâtel, had previously refused to repatriate the painting in 2009, but instead put a plaque next to the painting acknowledging its ownership history. In 1942, “Dedham from Langham” was one of 60 valuable paintings seized by the pro-Nazi French Vichy regime from John and Anna Jaffé, who were…
Nazi-looted art: Zurich museum and foundation agree to more transparency
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The Kunsthaus Zurich and the Bührle Foundation say they will disclose their contracts concerning the loan of 203 works of art.
New contract to manage controversial Bührle collection
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The owners of the Bührle art collection and the Zurich Kunsthaus have signed a new contract to address various issues around the controversial works.
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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.