You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Europe
Swiss citizenship system 'racist'
2007-09-13
An official report into the process of naturalisation in Switzerland says the current system is discriminatory and in many respects racist. The report, from Switzerland's Federal Commission on Racial Discrimination, recommends far-reaching changes.

It criticises the practice of allowing members of a community to vote on an individual's citizenship application. Muslims and people from the Balkans and Africa are the most likely to be rejected, the report points out.
The reason why, of course, is the important issue here. Are the locals being racist, or are they showing good sense in not giving citizenship to people who aren't assimilating and becoming Swiss? One could try to answer that question, or one could just assume that they naturally must be racists.
Switzerland has Europe's toughest naturalisation laws. Foreigners must live for 12 years in a Swiss community before they can apply, and being born in Switzerland brings no right to citizenship.

Under the current system, foreigners apply through their local town or village. They appear before a citizenship committee and answer questions about their desire to be Swiss. After that, they must often be approved by the entire voting community, in a secret ballot, or a show of hands. This practice, the report says, is particularly likely to be distorted by racial discrimination.

It cites the case of a disabled man originally from Kosovo. Although fulfilling all the legal criteria, his application for citizenship was rejected by his community on the grounds that his disability made him a burden on taxpayers, and that he was Muslim.
Muslim alone shouldn't disqualify him. Was he assimilating? Could he yodel? Was he assimilating? Had he learned one of the official Swiss languages? Was he assimilating? What was the disability? Was he assimilating?
The report recommends that decisions on citizenship should be decided by an elected executive and not by the community as a whole. But such a move is likely to encounter stiff opposition.
Can't imagine why.
Foreigners are a key issue in the run-up to Switzerland's general election next month. The right-wing Swiss People's Party, currently leading in the opinion polls, claims Swiss communities have a democratic right to decide who can or cannot be Swiss.
Posted by:Anguper Hupomosing9418

#13  They're pretty strict, BA: you have to have one.
Posted by: Gary and the Samoyeds   2007-09-13 21:56  

#12  Having recently lived in Switzerland I can say without equivocation that they are the most principled, law-abiding people I have ever encountered. Their minds are open, not "agape". They abide by their own rules and expect that others who want to live amongst them do the same.
Posted by: tzsenator   2007-09-13 21:48  

#11  They not only cited being Muslim as a reason (check), but also a burden on the taxpayers too?

Man, what are the gun laws like in Switzerland? I think we're on to the location for the first international Rantapalooza (or a good country to head to if it all goes south here).
Posted by: BA   2007-09-13 20:30  

#10  And who have to live with you.
Posted by: lotp   2007-09-13 17:52  

#9  There are also different rules for men and women. If a woman marries a Swiss man she can become a citizen. If a man marries a Swiss woman he's SOL.

BTW, having the community vote makes a lot of sense. These are the people who know you best.
Posted by: Iblis   2007-09-13 17:03  

#8  Whew, thanks, Zen.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2007-09-13 17:00  

#7  Ooops Sorry. Thought that was the poster.
Posted by: AlanC   2007-09-13 16:59  

#6  Geez AH can't you read your own post????

AlanC, inline commentary highlighted in a color other than lemon yellow is that of a moderator and not the original poster. In this case, Steve White.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-09-13 16:52  

#5  Muslim alone shouldn't disqualify him. Was he assimilating? Could he yodel? Was he assimilating? Had he learned one of the official Swiss languages? Was he assimilating? What was the disability? Was he assimilating?

Why not?
Posted by: Excalibur   2007-09-13 16:36  

#4  An official report into the process of naturalization in Switzerland says the current system is discriminatory and in many respects racist.

Mygahd, who do Swiss think they are, a tenured law school faculty?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2007-09-13 16:30  

#3  Geez AH can't you read your own post????


What was his disability, you ask. He's a Muslim, you said it yourself!!!! Geeez......8^)
Posted by: AlanC   2007-09-13 15:15  

#2  Sounds like a good system to me. The harder it is to enter somewhere, the more worthwhile it is.

Racism must be used in its MSM sense here, i.e. disagrees with leftards.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2007-09-13 15:08  

#1  Swiss communities have a democratic right to decide who can or cannot be Swiss.

is this pure common sense or what?
Posted by: Skunky Elmavise4463   2007-09-13 14:43  

00:00