Geneva group backs votes for foreigners

Voters in Geneva will be deciding if foreigners should have the right to vote on June 9th.

Supporters of the move say it’s an injustice that non-Swiss don’t get a say in local affairs and point out that at 40% Geneva has the largest percentage of a population that don’t have the right to vote – they also complain that the path to naturalization is too restrictive, especially language requirements.

Davide de Filippo from the group Geneva Action Community, says many were unable to vote on issues that directly affected them – such as the minimum wage and shop opening hours. 

Currently only cantons Neuchâtel and Jura allow non-Swiss to vote. Although the City of Geneva gives foreigners a vote on communal issues. 

More from Bitesize News

  • Geneva could foot the G7 bill

    Geneva fears it will be left with the security bill from a G7 summit just across the border in Évian, according to 24 heures.

  • US NGO discovers Swiss child abuse cases

    Switzerland relies too heavily on an American NGO to detect child sexual abuse online, raising questions about the country's ability to protect children on its own.

  • French singer banned by Paleo

    The Paléo Festival in Nyon says it will no longer invite French singer Patrick Bruel, after a former volunteer accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

  • Cars going uninspected

    The cantons are struggling to keep up with mandatory vehicle inspections, leaving more than 550,000 checks overdue nationwide.

  • War may lead to rent rises

    Rents may rise again, says the bank Raiffeisen.

  • Not a heatwave, yet

    Summer has arrived, with temperatures climbing past 30 over the long weekend. Basel reached 31 and Sion hit 32.4, but MeteoSwiss, says this does not yet count as an official heatwave.

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play