Rights group laments strict and inconsistent naturalisation process
The process to become Swiss has become too complex, preventing too many people from exercising their political rights, says the Swiss Observatory for Asylum and Foreigners Law. The group is calling for procedures to be simplified and made more consistent across cantons.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
العربية
ar
مجموعة حقوقية تنتقد صرامة عملية التجنيس في سويسرا وعدم تناسقها
The naturalisation procedure in Switzerland is known as one of the most stringent in the world. In 2018 the government tightened the procedure, requiring applicants to have a C residence permit and demonstrate integration, including a written language test.
In a reportExternal link published on Tuesday, the observatory argues that this is excluding a large part of the population, many of whom were born in Switzerland or grew up in the country, from participating in democracy. About a quarter of the population residing in Switzerland don’t have a Swiss passport yet the naturalisation rate stands at around 2%, writes the NGO.
“There are still votes at community assemblies on naturalisation. In addition, the process is too complex and takes too long. It’s also too expensive,” says Noémi Weber, director of the observatory.
Different understandings
According to the State Secretariat for Migration, the number of people who became Swiss decreased significantly since changes to the Swiss citizenship law in 2018 from around 44,100 in 2018 to 25,600 in 2021.
More
More
Becoming Swiss: ‘Where do I sign?’
This content was published on
Swiss citizenship is highly sought after – and correspondingly hard to get. swissinfo.ch looks at how to get the naturalisation ball rolling.
The report includes various cases of citizenship applications being rejected on account of things like a single traffic violation or incorrectly guessing the name of the Alphorn, a traditional Swiss musical instrument.
“There are different understandings in the cantons and municipalities of what exactly local integration means, i.e. how connected someone has to be with their place of residence,” Barbara von Rütte, a legal expert from the University of Basel, told Swiss public television,External link SRF. In some areas, local citizens’ assemblies are still allowed to vote on naturalisation.
The observatory puts forward several recommendations including a simplified process for second-generation Swiss and the introduction of citizenship at birth. They also call for specialised bodies to undertake naturalisation interviews and an end to voting on naturalisation in local assemblies.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign Affairs
How a top Swiss university is screening Chinese students
L’Oréal acquires South Korean subsidiary of Migros’ cosmetics brand
This content was published on
French cosmetics firm L'Oréal is acquiring Gowoonsesang Cosmetics, the South Korean subsidiary of the Migros-owned Mibelle group, for an undisclosed sum.
Sharp hike in number of protected historic monuments in Switzerland
This content was published on
In 2022, there were close to 91,000 protected historic monuments in Switzerland, 21% more than in 2016, said the Federal Statistical Office.
Switzerland adopts further EU sanctions against Russia
This content was published on
Switzerland has added several dozen names to its list of sanctioned persons or entities from Russia after adopting the amendments made by the European Union.
Snowfall causes travel restrictions in much of Switzerland
This content was published on
Heavy snowfall in several regions of Switzerland caused restrictions in road and rail traffic on Monday morning, though conditions eased by the afternoon.
Swiss major-general named acting head of UN observer force in Golan Heights
This content was published on
Major-General Patrick Gauchat has been appointed acting head of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights.
Accidents up sharply among older skiers in Switzerland
This content was published on
People over the age of 40 account for more than half of all ski injuries in Switzerland, a new study by insurance firm Suva shows.
Switzerland proposes strengthening rights of people with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss government is proposing a package of new legislative measures to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of life.
This content was published on
The Swiss artist Kurt Laurenz Metzler, known for his colorful sculptures made of fiberglass and polyester, has died in Zurich at the age of 83.
Historic Swiss bathhouse on Lake Constance destroyed in a fire
This content was published on
In the northern Swiss town of Rorschach, the 100-year-old Badhütte (bathing hut) on the shores of Lake Constance burned down early Monday morning.
Trump picks Callista Gingrich as ambassador to Switzerland
This content was published on
Incoming United States president Donald Trump has named Callista Gingrich as the next ambassador to Switzerland. Gingrich was posted to the Vatican under Trump's previous term.
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
Legal changes come into force in 2018
This content was published on
From January 1, 2018, getting a Swiss passport will become tougher but rules for adopting a child will become slightly easier.
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.