Citizens of Bern Submit Initiative for Universal Civic Service
Published: Thursday, Oct 26th 2023, 17:10
Updated At: Thursday, Oct 26th 2023, 20:03
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Every young person in Switzerland should contribute to the community and the environment. This is the demand of the Service-Citoyen Initiative. It wants to start a debate about the future obligation of civic service, whether it be forest conservation, military or civil service.
On Thursday, the initiative "For an Engaged Switzerland (Service-Citizen Initiative)" was submitted to the Federal Chancellery in Bern, with 107,764 signatures. The initiative seeks to amend Article 59 of the Constitution, which regulates military and alternative service.
The committee is confident that, thanks to a final push, they will have enough valid signatures, campaign leader Noémie Roten told media representatives. A professionalized campaign and the payment for collecting part of the signatures were necessary.
Military or Militia Service
According to the initiators, all citizens should contribute to the public good and the environment. This is meant to be in the form of military service or an equivalent civil defense service. The required number of military personnel and civil defense personnel must be maintained.
With the increasing internationalization, there are more and more people who traditionally have had little participation in the militia system and have been excluded from local government offices. This initiative seeks to address this issue.
Today, young Swiss men are required to fulfill a civic duty in either military or civil service, or with civil protection. According to Sotomo's Generationenbarometer, 74 percent of the population supports a Service Citoyen for all, write the initiators.
Bring Comprehensive Reform into Action
For years, the development of the conscription system has been blocked, and it has focused on securing the army's stocks. Instead of this "demand optimization bypassing the people", an extensive reform is needed. The militia system should be made fit for challenges such as pandemics, wars, climate crisis, polarization of society, under-provision, violence, and loneliness.
Foreigners living in Switzerland will not be exempt from military service under the initiative. The extent to which they should serve should be regulated by law.
The initiators of the constitution also want to enshrine an income replacement for all service providers. The details of this should also be specified in the law. Those who do not fulfill the required service should, as is currently the case for non-fulfilled military and alternative service, owe a replacement fee.
Members of Parliament are on board
If someone suffers a health impairment or dies while serving in the military or in the reserve, they are entitled to appropriate support from the federal government according to the constitution. The initiative seeks to make this support available to all citizens who perform public service.
Several members of Parliament are supporting the initiative. These include the future Zurich SP National Councilor Islam Alijai and SP National Councilor Emmanuel Amoos (VS), National Councilors Maja Riniker (FDP/AG) and Corina Gredig (GLP/ZH), Councilor Charles Juillard (Mitte/JU) and Councilor Johanna Gapany (FDP/FR).
Servicecitoyen.ch was founded in Geneva in 2013. Its partners for the initiative include GLP, EVP and Pirate Party, as well as the Young GLP, Young Middle, Young EVP, Middle Party Geneva, FDP Geneva, FDP Neuchâtel and the Democracy Platform WeCollect.
Compulsory service is a term used to describe a situation in which individuals are required to perform a service, such as military service, without the option to refuse.
The Swiss Socialist Party (SP) has rejected the initiative, calling it a "poorly paid compulsory service for all young people" in a statement. From a human rights and union perspective, the demand is problematic.
The Swiss Federal Council is currently considering two options for the future of compulsory service. Under one option, the civilian service and civil protection would be combined, while the other option would extend the obligation to serve to women. According to the Federal Council, however, only as many people would be recruited as the army and civil protection require.
©Keystone/SDA
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