National Council cuts funds in the budget after closing asylum centers
Published: Wednesday, Dec 4th 2024, 11:20
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The National Council wants to make CHF 428 million available for the operation of federal asylum centers in the coming year. This is CHF 85 million less than proposed by the Federal Council. The reason for this is the announced closure of nine centers.
On Wednesday, the Grand Chamber cut expenditure for the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) by a total of CHF 105 million compared to the Federal Council's draft budget. In addition to the federal asylum centers, the National Council also allocated CHF 20 million less for social assistance for asylum seekers, temporarily admitted persons and refugees, namely CHF 1.87 billion instead of CHF 1.89 billion.
Commission spokesperson Anna Giacometti (FDP/GR) justified the reduction in the operating expenses of the federal asylum centers with the low asylum numbers. There was no opposition to this. Nine of the 36 temporary federal asylum centers in Switzerland will be closed by the beginning of March. This corresponds to a reduction in accommodation capacity for refugees of almost 20 percent.
The National Council rejected the SVP parliamentary group's request to remove the funds from the migration framework credit as Switzerland's contribution to EU enlargement. Proposals from the left and right for an increase or reduction in integration measures for foreign nationals were also rejected.
Next Monday, the lower chamber will be discussing the federal budget. Its responsible committee is requesting cuts totaling CHF 185 million in the area of asylum, i.e. CHF 80 million more than the National Council. This is intended to partially offset the additional expenditure for the army.
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