Federal Council against constituency for the fifth Switzerland
Published: Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 10:10
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The Federal Council is against separate constituencies for the fifth Switzerland in National Council elections. It writes that it is important for Swiss citizens abroad to be represented in parliament. But council members elected in the cantons could ensure this representation of interests.
In its statement published on Thursday on a motion by National Councillor Jean-Luc Addor (SVP/VS), the Federal Council refers to the "Parliamentary Group of Swiss Abroad". At the end of July 2023, 78 members of the Council belonged to this group. He asked Parliament to reject the motion.
In addition, the fifth Switzerland is indirectly represented in federal politics via the 140-member Council of the Swiss Abroad, which also includes Swiss members of parliament. This body brings the concerns of the Swiss abroad to the attention of the relevant authorities.
Addor calls for separate constituencies for the Swiss abroad - he does not specify a number. The necessary legal basis is needed. Around 227,000 of the approximately 800,000 Swiss abroad are entered in an electoral register. It is legitimate for them to have their own representation in the National Council.
Swiss nationals living abroad are now entered in the electoral register of the canton in which they last lived before leaving Switzerland. Those who have never lived in Switzerland are registered in the electoral register of their home commune.
In the opinion of the Federal Council, a constituency for the fifth Switzerland in the National Council elections would require an amendment to the constitution. A separate constituency would also generally call into question the allocation of voters abroad to a canton. One consequence would be that the granting of political rights at cantonal level would generally have to be called into question, he writes.
Addor's motion now goes to the National Council.
©Keystone/SDA
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