National Council postpones reintroduction of double names for married couples
Published: Thursday, Mar 14th 2024, 10:50
Updated At: Thursday, Mar 14th 2024, 10:30
العودة إلى البث المباشر
In future, married couples will once again be able to have a double name. However, there should be no double names for children. On Thursday, the National Council sent a corresponding reform of the naming law back to the relevant committee for revision.
The large chamber voted in favor of a motion by Thomas Aeschi (SVP/ZG) by 116 votes to 70. According to this, the National Council's Legal Affairs Committee (RK-N) should revise the draft so that double names are only introduced for spouses, but not for children.
"Creating a Tinguely machine"
The conservative majority of the SVP, FDP and Center Party prevailed. They opposed the major reform of naming law proposed by the RK-N. In their opinion, children should now also be able to have double names - regardless of whether their parents are married or not.
Philipp Matthias Bregy (centre/VS), like other civic representatives, pleaded for a "sensible liberalization of naming rights". There is no need for a maximum variant, which would in turn lead to problems.
"We have created a monster, a Tinguely machine," said Jean-Luc Addor (SVP/VS) to the Commission. Family and naming law should not become a "field of ideological experimentation". The bill drawn up by the RK-N was too complex.
Unpopular alliance names
Since their abolition in 2013, double names are no longer permitted. Married couples must now decide at the time of marriage whether they wish to keep their respective names or have a joint surname.
However, it is possible to use the non-official alliance name. Hyphenated names such as Huber-Müller can be used in everyday life, but are not entered in the civil register.
Today, children are given either the joint surname or the surname of their father or mother. If the parents are not married, the children bear the name of one of the parents.
Even the victorious conservative majority did not question the fact that the abolition of double names for married couples was a mistake. This decision should be reversed - but without extending it to children.
Searching for the egg of Columbus
In the RK-N, the "big solution" prevailed - by 14 votes to 10 with one abstention. Committee spokesperson Min Li Marti (SP/ZH) referred to the consultation results on the corresponding amendment to the law. A majority had criticized the non-inclusion of children's rights.
"I would like the children to have the same name as me," said GLP spokesperson Beat Flach (AG). A double name should therefore also be permitted for them. If the commission now resumes its work, it will not help. "It won't find the egg of Columbus."
The Federal Council also supported the major reform with the inclusion of children. At the same time, it was of the opinion that the Commission's proposal should be simplified. Now the RK-N must once again deal with the naming law.
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