Explaining the upcoming popular vote: Swiss voters will be facing an array of issues at the ballot box come September 26. The question is whether the people will vote with their hearts or minds.
| Auteur | Anderson, Robert |
| Fonction | Politics |
Four times a year, the Swiss populace weighs in with its view in the political arena, voicing its opinion on a variety of proposals and, very often, having the last word with respect to the course on which the country's politics is sailing. The upcoming autumn referendum offers voters a mixed bag of issues from which to choose: two federal decrees of October 3, 2003 on streamlining statutory citizenship for second-generation young foreigners and on the rights of third-generation children to acquire Swiss citizenship; the proposal for revision on October 3, 2003 of the federal law governing compensation of wages (for employees in military and civil service as well as on maternity leave); and the popular initiative of April 26, 2002 'Postal Services for Everyone.'
The right to be a Swiss
The Federal Council and Parliament have decided to streamline the process of acquiring Swiss citizenship for so cared second-generation young foreigners (whose parents immigrated to Switzerland) and simplify the overall legal requirements for being a Swiss. Both government bodies have also passed legislation that would allow third-generation children (whose grandparents immigrated to the country) born in Switzerland to automatically acquire citizenship at birth, barring any objections by the parents Both proposals necessitate a revision in the country's Constitution, hence the referendum according to law. However, a minority of politicians engaged in the Parliamentary debate on the proposal asserted that the ulterior motive behind the revision of the law was to gloss over the statistically high proportion of foreigners among the Swiss population. Furthermore, opponents of the proposal contend that granting Swiss citizenship at birth would be going too far since such individuals should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they want to become citizens.
According to the first proposal. second-generation foreign children between the ages of 14 and 24, who have attended obligatory school in Switzerland for at least five years and hold a residence permit "B" or "C", would be eligible to apply lot the simplified citizenship process. In addition, applicants must have lived in the relevant community for a minimum of two years and speak one of the official languages. Out of a total of 26 cantons, more than half (14) have already implemented some type of streamlined process for second-generation minors to acquire citizenship, although the procedures, requirements...
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