Group leaders take a different view of Jans’ work priorities
Published: Tuesday, Apr 2nd 2024, 18:10
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From the attribute "announcement minister" to "pragmatic approach to asylum and migration policy": the federal parliamentary groups have differing views on Justice Minister Beat Jans' political plans. The Greens would have liked Jans to have also taken up the Pacte civil.
"We see Jans as an announcement minister," said SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi (SVP/ZG). Jans communicates sharply, but has implemented very little. And he is already putting measures such as the closure of asylum centers at weekends announced in Chiasso in February into perspective.
Initiative in the quiver
For Aeschi, it is unclear whether the 24-hour asylum procedure is sufficient to prevent asylum seekers from submitting their application in Switzerland. If a tougher approach is not adopted soon, the SVP already has its announced border protection initiative ready to go.
"Very unclear" for Aeschi are the intended increased integration and training efforts for over 16-year-olds and the increased integration of refugees into the labor market. It is to be feared that these measures will make Switzerland even more attractive for asylum seekers and cause additional expenditure in the millions.
The SP supports its representative in the Federal Council. Jans has settled in well and has already contributed ideas, said co-leader of the parliamentary group Samuel Bendahan (NE). The Basel native has difficult dossiers to deal with.
The maximum possible
If 24-hour asylum procedures help to reduce the number of pending dossiers, they are not bad per se, said Bendahan. However, there was no guarantee that accelerated procedures would have the same quality. Jans' commitment to the education and prospects of underage unaccompanied asylum seekers is to be welcomed.
The Social Democrats expect more in terms of violence against women and equality, as Bendahan explained. However, this is no reproach to the SP Federal Councillor. Jans is doing the maximum possible in a government with a conservative majority.
Center Party leader Philipp Matthias Bregy (VS) welcomes Jans' pragmatic approach to asylum and migration policy. Jans is looking for concrete, practicable solutions. "I see that as positive." It remains to be seen how successful Jans' steps towards a tougher approach to asylum policy will be.
Moving train
Jans' ideas are not new, he is more or less jumping on a bandwagon with his plans to combat violence against women and sexual violence, Bregy continued. Parliament and his predecessor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider had already done a lot in this area.
Jans' ideas on the subject of equal rights will have to see what can be implemented. When it comes to wages, Jans wants to assess in a year's time whether the currently prescribed equal pay analyses are sufficient and, if necessary, propose tightening them up. "The basic concern is undisputed. However, it remains to be seen whether further tightening is required, as Federal Councillor Jans insinuates," explained Bregy.
"Willing to take things into your own hands"
In the words of FDP parliamentary group leader Damien Cottier (NE), Jans "shows the will to take matters into his own hands." The FDP supports the 24-hour asylum procedure. But miracles should not be expected from this, said Cottier. A bundle of measures in cooperation with the cantons and readmission agreements are needed.
Cottier also welcomed Jans' plans to combat domestic violence - "long-term work", as he said. He also acknowledged Jans' willingness to take action against terrorism. It was good that the Minister of Justice had put this project on his list of priorities.
The Greens' wish
The Greens welcome the fact that Jans wants to focus on integration into the labor market, be it for refugees or for equality, as parliamentary group leader Aline Trede (BE) writes.
In addition to combating domestic violence and wage discrimination, the Greens would have liked to see another important socio-political issue as a priority: the "Pacte civil". It would bring freedom of choice between marriage and non-marriage with equal consequences and would thus become part of a freer and more liberal society.
©Keystone/SDA
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