Ny Nordland
03-10-2006, 21:16
Not ideal but definately a good step in the correct direction:
Referendum boosts Swiss People’s party
By Haig Simonian in Zurich
Published: September 25 2006 14:03 | Last updated: September 25 2006 14:03
Switzerland’s conservative People’s party (SVP) expressed confidence in its future on Monday after a weekend referendum strongly backed plans to tighten asylum and immigration rules.
The “yes” votes followed setbacks for the SVP and associated lobbies in referendums over the past year on developing closer relations with the European Union. The earlier referendums were seen by the party’s critics as evidence that the ultra-nationalist group had passed its peak.
The SVP became Switzerland’s largest party after wining about 27 per cent of the votes at the October 2003 general elections. The victory allowed the SVP to press successfully for a second seat in the coalition government for Christoph Blocher, its billionaire guiding light.
Since becoming justice minister Mr Blocher has championed tough policies on law and order and a crackdown on immigration and asylum. But in a blow last year, a referendum backed closer links with the EU on asylum and other justice issues, in spite of SVP opposition.
Sunday’s vote on tightening immigration and asylum rules showed Mr Blocher and his party's policies remained highly popular, with comfortable majorities on both proposals.
On asylum, the plan, opposed by the Social Democrats, Switzerland’s second biggest party, will make it much more difficult for refugees to remain once applications have been rejected. Entry to Switzerland will also be tightened for asylum-seekers unable to produce identification documents within 48 hours.
On immigration, entry will be virtually impossible for non-EU citizens, unless they possess special skills required by the labour market.
Switzerland, with just 7.4m people, has one of the highest proportions of foreigners in Europe. This stems from its close geographic, economic and cultural links with neighbouring EU countries, as well as a long humanitarian tradition. During the Balkan conflict of the 1990s, for example, thousands of Albanians, Kosovans were granted entry.
However, integration has become highly sensitive, in spite of Switerzland’s relative affluence and the fact that many new arrivals accept jobs shunned by native Swiss.
Critics of the new rules note the number of asylum seekers has fallen steadily since its 1990s peak. They have particularly attacked the provision that will require asylum seekers to produce identification documents – a hurdle that will be impossible for many genuine refugees to surmount, they argue.
Mr Blocher said it was now up to the police and courts to impose the law. He suggested Switzerland should in future define countries where there were genuine humanitarian crises, and set appropriate quotas for asylum seekers from them, thus implicitly squeezing out less valid applicants from elsewhere.
Supporters of the proposals also argued that tighter rules would release resources for real refugees as well as other new immigrants trying to integrate into Swiss society.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/78bf958a-4c8d-11db-b03c-0000779e2340.html
And currently, less than 15% of the immigrants are non-european (http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/volkszaehlung/uebersicht/blank/panorama/bild_des_wandels/multikulti.html). Not bad. Although their definition of european is imperfect.
Next, they should enhance these laws and help to developing countries more to address the other side of the coin.
Referendum boosts Swiss People’s party
By Haig Simonian in Zurich
Published: September 25 2006 14:03 | Last updated: September 25 2006 14:03
Switzerland’s conservative People’s party (SVP) expressed confidence in its future on Monday after a weekend referendum strongly backed plans to tighten asylum and immigration rules.
The “yes” votes followed setbacks for the SVP and associated lobbies in referendums over the past year on developing closer relations with the European Union. The earlier referendums were seen by the party’s critics as evidence that the ultra-nationalist group had passed its peak.
The SVP became Switzerland’s largest party after wining about 27 per cent of the votes at the October 2003 general elections. The victory allowed the SVP to press successfully for a second seat in the coalition government for Christoph Blocher, its billionaire guiding light.
Since becoming justice minister Mr Blocher has championed tough policies on law and order and a crackdown on immigration and asylum. But in a blow last year, a referendum backed closer links with the EU on asylum and other justice issues, in spite of SVP opposition.
Sunday’s vote on tightening immigration and asylum rules showed Mr Blocher and his party's policies remained highly popular, with comfortable majorities on both proposals.
On asylum, the plan, opposed by the Social Democrats, Switzerland’s second biggest party, will make it much more difficult for refugees to remain once applications have been rejected. Entry to Switzerland will also be tightened for asylum-seekers unable to produce identification documents within 48 hours.
On immigration, entry will be virtually impossible for non-EU citizens, unless they possess special skills required by the labour market.
Switzerland, with just 7.4m people, has one of the highest proportions of foreigners in Europe. This stems from its close geographic, economic and cultural links with neighbouring EU countries, as well as a long humanitarian tradition. During the Balkan conflict of the 1990s, for example, thousands of Albanians, Kosovans were granted entry.
However, integration has become highly sensitive, in spite of Switerzland’s relative affluence and the fact that many new arrivals accept jobs shunned by native Swiss.
Critics of the new rules note the number of asylum seekers has fallen steadily since its 1990s peak. They have particularly attacked the provision that will require asylum seekers to produce identification documents – a hurdle that will be impossible for many genuine refugees to surmount, they argue.
Mr Blocher said it was now up to the police and courts to impose the law. He suggested Switzerland should in future define countries where there were genuine humanitarian crises, and set appropriate quotas for asylum seekers from them, thus implicitly squeezing out less valid applicants from elsewhere.
Supporters of the proposals also argued that tighter rules would release resources for real refugees as well as other new immigrants trying to integrate into Swiss society.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/78bf958a-4c8d-11db-b03c-0000779e2340.html
And currently, less than 15% of the immigrants are non-european (http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/volkszaehlung/uebersicht/blank/panorama/bild_des_wandels/multikulti.html). Not bad. Although their definition of european is imperfect.
Next, they should enhance these laws and help to developing countries more to address the other side of the coin.