A initiative seeking a popular vote on a plan to house asylum seekers in secure zones in their home country or nearby was validated by federal officials this week.
The initiative, which originates from the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), would require asylum applicants to stay in these secure zones until their applications were processed. Successful applicants would then be sent to a host country without being able to chose. Switzerland would co-fund the programme with other nations.
On 8 October 2019, Switzerland’s Federal Chancellery approved the initiative’s text, which was presented to the media last month. The text is available here in French and here in German.
Organisers now have until 8 April 2021 to collect the 100,000 voter signatures required to put the plan to a public vote.
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