EU eyes Swiss deportation initiative. - swissinfo
The situation is by now actually quite a bit more serious than the above describes.
Short explanation: Under the "deportation initiative" mentioned above, any Swiss resident without citizenship committing any crime would face deportation - after serving their term, if they get any - with a 15- to 20-year ban on reentry into Switzerland. Deportation would occur regardless of target country.
A Swiss think tank ("Forum Außenpolitik") has now published a study on possible repercussions from this initiative. Several other law and political researchers have spoken out with very similar opinions to this study, often on behalf of political parties opposed to it.
According to them:
The initiative comes from the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the same kind of racist neo-nazi party as the others favoured in all countries south of Germany for some reason (FPÖ, Lega Nord etc). The same party already initiated the successful move to ban minarets in Switzerland last year.
Current polls project the initiative being favoured by a 58% majority of Swiss citizens. Switzerland has a "direct democracy" system (violating a couple basic principles of democracy such as secret elections) that's highly susceptible to demagogic moves like this. The Swiss government has drafted a counter-initiative that's more in line with the Swiss constitution and EU law that according to polls would not have a chance of being accepted.
Both the initiative and the counter-initiative will be voted on on November 28th.
EU eyes Swiss deportation initiative
Proposals to automatically expel foreign criminals from Switzerland are attracting the attention of European Union countries – Germany in particular.
EU experts are especially interested in the potential outcome if either the People’s Party initiative or its counter-proposal is accepted.
According to Jacques de Watteville, Switzerland's ambassador to Brussels, EU members are concerned that new Swiss legislation could challenge the free movement of people between the EU and Switzerland.
The cabinet’s counter-proposal would respect the international agreement, de Watteville told journalists on Wednesday.
The ambassador had been invited to speak to EU experts about Switzerland’s bilateral relationship with the EU. He told listeners not to forget that direct democracy is part of Switzerland’s political reality.
On November 28, Swiss voters will decide whether foreign criminals should be deported automatically.
Proposals to automatically expel foreign criminals from Switzerland are attracting the attention of European Union countries – Germany in particular.
EU experts are especially interested in the potential outcome if either the People’s Party initiative or its counter-proposal is accepted.
According to Jacques de Watteville, Switzerland's ambassador to Brussels, EU members are concerned that new Swiss legislation could challenge the free movement of people between the EU and Switzerland.
The cabinet’s counter-proposal would respect the international agreement, de Watteville told journalists on Wednesday.
The ambassador had been invited to speak to EU experts about Switzerland’s bilateral relationship with the EU. He told listeners not to forget that direct democracy is part of Switzerland’s political reality.
On November 28, Swiss voters will decide whether foreign criminals should be deported automatically.
Short explanation: Under the "deportation initiative" mentioned above, any Swiss resident without citizenship committing any crime would face deportation - after serving their term, if they get any - with a 15- to 20-year ban on reentry into Switzerland. Deportation would occur regardless of target country.
A Swiss think tank ("Forum Außenpolitik") has now published a study on possible repercussions from this initiative. Several other law and political researchers have spoken out with very similar opinions to this study, often on behalf of political parties opposed to it.
According to them:
- the initiative violates the Swiss constitution.
- the initiative violates - beyond that - the basics of Swiss legislation.
- the initiative violates EU law.
- the initiative violates International Law.
- the EU would as a result of point 3 likely cancel the Schengen membership of Switzerland.
- as a result of point 5, the "guillotine article" would cancel all bilateral treaties with the EU.
- as a result of point 6, the entire Swiss economy would collapse overnight.
- should point 5 not occur the EU would likely still enact harsh countermeasures based on previous experience
The initiative comes from the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the same kind of racist neo-nazi party as the others favoured in all countries south of Germany for some reason (FPÖ, Lega Nord etc). The same party already initiated the successful move to ban minarets in Switzerland last year.
Current polls project the initiative being favoured by a 58% majority of Swiss citizens. Switzerland has a "direct democracy" system (violating a couple basic principles of democracy such as secret elections) that's highly susceptible to demagogic moves like this. The Swiss government has drafted a counter-initiative that's more in line with the Swiss constitution and EU law that according to polls would not have a chance of being accepted.
Both the initiative and the counter-initiative will be voted on on November 28th.
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