Swiss Parliament Accepts Plan to Strip Asylum Rights from Those Travelling Home

A proposition put forward by the Swiss people’s party (UDC/SVP) to strip asylum from those travelling to their home country was accepted by 129 members of the National Council and rejected by 57.

The UDC argued that returning home for a holiday or to visit parents proves the refugee is not threatened or persecuted there and should should lose their asylum rights. In addition, it said that this would make it easier to identify false refugees and other economic migrants, while reducing the attractiveness of Switzerland as a destination.

The proposition will now pass to the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, for consideration.