Schengen/Dublin campaign turned on its head

One of the posters pushing for a yes in the Schengen/Dublin vote Keystone

Campaigners in favour of the Schengen/Dublin accords are stealing a page from their main opponents, the rightwing Swiss People’s Party.

The parties and organisations backing a “yes” vote are using provocative posters and slogans to sway voters ahead of the nationwide ballot on June 5.

“Warning to all criminals: Schengen/Dublin gives the police more powers” is the message on a poster showing someone in handcuffs.

This is a typical theme for a campaign by the People’s Party, which is known for its populist rhetoric.

Now however it is the pro-camp, a broad coalition of centre-right and centre-left parties and the business federation, which is using this kind of language.

Next to the handcuffs a “yes” is brightly promoted by the Swiss cross – a symbol which, until now, the People’s Party has jealously guarded for itself.

The People’s Party and the isolationist Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (CINS), are the main opponents of the bilateral agreements with the European Union, which remove border controls between signatory states and coordinate asylum policy.

The People’s Party is linking the vote with a separate referendum scheduled for the autumn on another EU treaty governing the free movement of people.

They want to turn the vote into a showdown over their homeland, claiming that Swiss security and sovereignty are in danger.

Deliberate confusion

The People’s Party campaign uses trademark populist language: “More criminals. More unemployed. Entry into the EU.”

Raising the question of unemployment, the People’s Party has sought to link Schengen/Dublin with the vote on extending the free movement of people to the 15 new EU member states. This ballot does not take place until September 25.

For CINS leader Hans Fehr the two issues belong together. He says the government’s message is: “People can come and work in Switzerland – and commit crimes.”

People’s Party president Ueli Maurer cites “fear of [backdoor] EU entry” as one of the main reasons for voting against Schengen/Dublin.

“Sign of conviction”

Ministers from the four-party government all spoke out publicly in favour of the accords when they officially launched the “yes” campaign last month.

Economics Minister Joseph Deiss was joined by Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, Justice Minister Christoph Blocher and Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz.

Deiss said their presence at the launch was a “sign of our conviction as a government and our unity”.

Merz added that Swiss borders were a “special case” in Schengen, as Swiss frontier guards would still be responsible for border control.

Calmy-Rey said it was not justified to accuse the government of wanting to engineer entry into the EU.

Blocher – a leading light of the People’s Party and whose personal opposition to the accords is no secret – was more guarded. He said that security and the asylum situation would improve “if the system works”.

Agree to disagree?

But at a public meeting on May 8 organised by the People’s Party to commemorate the end of the Second World War, Blocher said it was wrong to claim the entire cabinet backed Schengen/Dublin.

“I cannot understand how a government member can claim there was a unanimous vote when there wasn’t,” he said, sparking a fresh debate about collegiality.

Under the unwritten principles of collegiality the seven cabinet ministers are expected to present a united front once they have agreed a common position.

Blocher also underlined his stance. “On this day of remembrance, it’s worth bearing in mind the point and value of borders.”

swissinfo

Key facts

The Swiss Business Federation, economiesuisse, has provided around SFr4 million ($3.3 million) to promote the campaign.
The People’s Party says it has about half that amount.